National Day of Prayer

Yesterday was National Day of Prayer. This was my first year to participate. I was nervous, but it was SO worthwhile. Our church did a 24-hour prayer vigil. My time slot was from 8:30 - 9:00 PM last night. Man - that was an awesome time spent in prayer with the Lord! At first, I couldn't imagine, praying for 30 minutes straight - but it was so easy. I left feeling so fulfilled. I hope this is something we do year after year.

Crazy things Cooper says

Cooper just cracks me up. The things that come out of his mouth are getting funnier and funnier each day. Last night, I dropped him off in the nursery at church and I went on to Pastor's Bible Study. I went to get him and Wendy stopped me to tell me what Cooper had done. I braced myself, because I didn't know what to expect. She said, "Cooper called for me - 'Miss Wendy, Miss Wendy' - so I went over to see what he wanted" (there is a half door to his class room) so she walked over, peered over the door and he looked at her and said, "ya know - you could open this door if you really tried". Wendy said she had to turn away and just laugh! Now, he wasn't trying to escape his class, as he really enjoys it - he was trying to get someone to take him outside to play on the playground! He's a smart boy - resourceful - and not afraid to ask for what he wants!

The other thing is that he calls Tiffany HIS girlfriend - when really Tiffany is Joseph's girlfriend. When Tiffany comes over - Cooper just won't leave them alone. He's always wanting to show Tiffany something or even just hang out in Joseph's room and play with his cars while Tiffany is there. We don't let Joseph shut the door when Tiffany is there, so Cooper just walks right in. No wonder they always want to hang out at Tiffany's house!

I made it through the first quarter...

of 2007 without buying any yarn. I have managed to keep knitting from my current stash. But I broke down last Friday, and bought a few balls. I couldn't help myself. Michael's had balls of Sugar 'n Cream cotton yarn on sale for .99! And it's normally $1.49 there. It was out of my control. I thought about it - saw it in the sale flyer from Sunday's paper - and refrained from buying it until Friday - I just couldn't take it any longer. I knew it was there and I had to buy it. I was good and just bought yarn for a few baby gifts I have coming up. I only bought 8 balls. I wanted more - but I was strong! YEAH me!

Another crazy MIL story

I called my MIL yesterday to check on Cooper like I usually do. She told me what he had for breakfast, we talked for a minute, etc. Then she said that she was outside cleaning her patio furniture and that Cooper ruined his shirt - here's how the conversation unfolded:

Me: How did he manage to ruin his shirt?
MIL: Well, he was playing in the dirt, and I was spraying my furniture with that spray cleaner with bleach from the dollar store. When I got to scrubbing, I got distracted and didn't notice that Cooper was playing in the bleach puddle on the chair.
Me: What?
MIL: Well, you shouldn't put him in good clothes to come over here - I had to get that done.
ME: I realize that you need to do certain things around the house, and his ruined shirt is not my concern, I'm concerned that he was playing with bleach. That's very dangerous.
MIL: I washed his hands.
ME: That's great, how long was he there, did he touch is eyes, did it irritate his skin? I don't use cleaners with harsh chemicals for this very reason, I don't want my child exposed to those dangers.
MIL: It was that cleaner from the dollar store, so it probably didn't have any bleach in it.
ME: If it bleached his shirt, IT HAS BLEACH IN IT!
MIL: Well, I had to get it done. I'll buy him another shirt.

She just doesn't get it. It wasn't a nice shirt that I put him in, it was just a play shirt. I wasn't concerned about the clothes, it's just that she is absent minded sometimes and doesn't keep a close enough eye on him to see that he was playing in a puddle of bleach! I am grateful that he wasn't hurt in any way.

Mini-vacation

Earlier this month Don, Cooper and I took off for Nashville. Don had business there so Cooper and I tagged along and visited with Grandpa Walt. That was Walt's first time meeting Cooper and the first time I had seen him since my wedding (which I had to quilt him into attending). It was strange visit mostly because when I mentally picture Walt, I picture him more the way he was years ago - when I was a child. He was always more outgoing than my Memaw, always wanted to do things when we visited, but as time has taken it's toll, he doesn't do as much, and much like my Memaw, he doesn't venture too far away from home. I wasn't expecting a ton of entertainment mind you, just a good quality visit, which I got, but I wasn't prepared for him seeming so much older. He wasn't getting around as well as he used to, a little limp and his stairs looked like a struggle to him and that hit me even harder. I wasn't prepared to see him so much more frail, not that he is. I don't know what I mean - it was very nice, but different.

While I was there, he gave me my Memaw's wedding ring. I REALLY wasn't expecting that. The only catch is that I have to keep it in the blood-line, so any daughter, grand-daughter or my neice will eventually get the ring - but I'm not giving it up any time soon, that's for sure! Here it it is. The photo just doesn't do it justice.

We only stayed in Nashville for a day, then we went to Memphis to visit with Nana and Pawpaw. Cooper had a ball playing with his cousins and playing golf with is Pawpaw. I think now the Easter bunny is going to bring Coop some golf clubs. Here are some fun pics from our trip. Also, Don and I went to Graceland (I've been there before, but he hadn't) and we left Coop in the capable hands of Nana and Pawpaw. While we were leaving to go to Graceland, Don and I realized that was the first time we left Coop during the day - weird but refreshing to spend time just the two of us.

We introduced Don to Memphis BBQ. As a Texan, his idea of BBQ (beef) is VERY different than Memphis style (which I prefer, but what else would you expect from a Southaven girl?).

Good Manners

I have to say that I am very proud of the fact that Cooper is developing good manners. He says please (most of the time) when he wants something, and he always says thank you for things (he prounces it "kank ewe"). When he has candy or crackers or chips, he will always give you one (although sometimes you have to ask for a piece of his candy). And when I (or someone else) thanks Cooper for something, he very promptly responds "you're welcome". Each night at dinner, he gets to sit first and gets his plate before anyone. Once everyone is at the table he is the first to fold his hands to pray. And promptly yells "AMEN" at the end! All day long I hear him, "watch mommy, watch me". He likes for me to watch everything he does - I do, out of the corner of my eye!

Tina's Birthday - and mine!

It's birthday season for Tina and I again. We had fun. And for ONCE I was meaner to her than she was to me (so far anyway). I did the "40 over the hill" theme in her office and mine is pink shoes. Check out flickr to see more.

The MIL strikes again

There for a while, things were fine and dandy on the MIL front. She's been argueing with EVERYONE lately, and just before Christmas, she decided that she wanted to keep Cooper over at her house instead of her coming over to our house. Don and I agreed, that way she would be out of his hair as well.

Since this, she came over to my house the day after Christmas, and that was it. She hadn't been there since. Again, fine by Don and I as we don't have to listen to her. This past Sunday evening, Joseph decided he wanted a haircut by his Grandma. She came over to do the haircut but stayed in the garage with Joseph so that she would send Cooper into a tizzy right before bedtime.

I need to back up here and say that because she hasn't come over during the day (or at all really), that she hasn't done Joseph's laundry. This is where I come in to attempt - AGAIN - to teach him how to do it on his own. Just before dinner time on Sunday, I gave Joseph a lesson. My clothes were in the dryer and we started a load of Josephs clothes.

After dinner, I had to put Cooper to bed. And when I was done, I went to get my clothes out of the dryer so that I could continue the laundry lesson with Joseph. I walked into the garage and found my clothes piled on top of the dryer and Joseph's clothes missing. I went into the house to ask Joseph were his clothes were and he said, "Grandma took them, she said they would sit there and wrinkle, so she just took them". I got onto Joseph because he knew that this was a learning project and he let her take them. I went back into the garage to finish putting my laundry away and I just kept fuming. I told Don what happened and he just shook his head. I wasn't sure how I was going to deal with this, but I then decided to call her:
MIL - Hello.
ME - Hey, did you take something while you were here?
MIL - Yes, I took Joseph's clothes so that I could iron them.
ME - but they weren't even dry yet.
MIL - yeah I know
ME - I wish you wouldn't have done that - I was trying to teach Joseph how to do laundry.
MIL - oh, well, he already knows
ME - NO HE DOESN'T.
MIL - well, I didn't know.
ME - And that was very rude. You don't just walk into someones house and take things without asking.
MIL - Well, you weren't around.
ME - I WAS IN MY HOUSE! All you had to do was poke your head in, but no, you just took it upon yourself and over-stepped your bounds. You had no right to interfere.
MIL - hung up.

I called her back three times and she didn't answer. I told Don what happened and that he would have to take Cooper over there the next day because I had no desire to see her. He ended up keeping Cooper most of the day. Don took the brunt of the abuse from his mom, as he usually does. But I did comment to him that I'm the third wife that hasn't gotten along with her - WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT HER?

MIL and I made up yesterday. The Christian in me can't hold a grudge for too long.

New Knitting

I finally have something other than a dishcloth finished! It's the Moss Grid hand towel from Mason Dixon knitting. I've worked on it for a LONG time, mostly because my hands would cramp on the smaller needles. It's made with a six-ply cotton (can't remember the name, something I found a Hobby Lobby) on size 5 Clover bamboo needles. I really prefer bamboo when working with cotton.

This one is still in progress - it's a Mason Dixon log cabin inspired throw. Made from Home Spun (all one color - just knitted log cabin style for some added dimension) and using size 11 Clover Bamboo circs.

That's about it for now - I have to work on a felted project for mom - hopefully for mother's day.

Happy New Year

Man, Christmas and New Years' have come and gone. I can't believe it. I've got to blog more - I've got too much to try to catch up on! Cooper's Christmas was great - check out flickr for pics.