by teresa

Ben just left for school. He was ready and sitting here with me while I was on the computer. A minute before the bus came he ran upstairs. I figured he forgot something...and went to retrieve it. I heard the bus coming down the street just as he was coming back down. He grabbed his book bag and made his way out the door. I scanned him as he bolted down the front steps to see what he had run upstairs for. Then my eyes fell on his head. Oh my. He had gone up to put some finishing touches on his hair I guess. It was apparent he had been in Lauren's hair gel and he looked like Alfalfa from the little rascals...no exaggerating!

The librarian from Nick's school called on Friday. They need me to come in one or two days this week to help out. I will go later today....if I can get my hampers empty in the next couple of hours. I haven't done laundry since Friday morning....so it will take some time.

I wish our kids were off today (for Columbus day). I could have used a sleep in day.

Lauren is out of school for the next two days on a mini fall break. She is taking pity on Katy ...and taking Kaden (aka crazy girl) to the zoo for a few hours. I am sending my camera with them in hopes of some fun pictures. Lauren asked me if she should take Kaden's stroller. I said no....and assured her she would be fine tottering around. hahahahahahahaha! I am so bad. I giggle every time I think of Lauren in full pursuit of that maniac toddler. Serves her right. Her and Kaden are one in the same. We even call Kaden...Lauren Jr.

After I drop the kids off at school I need to run by the grocery store (we are out of everything) and Lifeway book store to pick up the book for this weekends club meeting. I know...I know...I should have read it by now. Don't worry...I will get it done by Sat. night.

I also need to buy a new pencil sharpener for the house. We have an old fashioned, school house, hand cranked one mounted in the garage. But, it has seen it's better days...and just leaves you with broken stubs. I actually chewed a point on Ben's pencil the other day so he could finish his homework. Seriously.

by teresa

It's been a nice weekend. My uncle and his family came Friday and stayed till it got dark last night. Our boys (his two and our two) played until they dropped each day. Bike riding, basketball, soccer, hide and seek and then a two hour nintendo ds battle. We will be heading up (No.Va.) to catch the cousins soccer games sometime in the next month.
I went into Dad's garage for a while yesterday. A science project for Ben and Kristian took me in there. I looked through all the cabinets, drawers and shelves. Cleaned a bit. Swept and organized a bit. My sister came out and joined me. We looked around...and touched his favorite tools(this would have been a no-no one month ago). We passed them between us. The cold steel, the sharp edges, the greasy residue. I could see his hands on them still. I couldn't count the hours of my life spent watching my daddy build or fix things with these tools. I also don't think he has ever thrown away a tool (hammers...so many hammers), knob, screw, hinge or hose away since I was born! We found the perfect odds and ends for the kid's projects.
Thanks Dad.

by teresa

I called my Dad's cellphone today.
I just wanted to hear his voice (on voicemail).
Is that weird?
I left him a message.
Is that even weirder?

I have gotten back in to reading myself to sleep. No more nintendo in bed. I have also been sleeping very sound. My awake time has been harder though. The past two days I can not stop thinking. Wishing. Dwelling. I think it is just now sinking in. He is gone. Not up the road at 7-11. Not out in the garage fiddling around. Not taking a nap. Not across the street at Gerri's having a cup of coffee. Gone forever. It sucks!

Smile

Turn your frown upside down!

by teresa

Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing. ~Mother Teresa

How many people have you smiled at today?
Smile at five strangers today...and see how many smile back.
It's funny to see how some people cheer up...and some people look at you like your crazy.

Nick finished his history project late last night....and we (I mean HE) better get an A. It turned out so great I almost want to accompany him to class to turn it in ...just to see the teachers face aglow with awe and admiration. Would that be too weird?

Don't judge any man until you have walked two moons in his moccasins

by teresa

What an exciting night.

Both Nick and Ben had games. Unfortunately they were at the same time...in different locations. So the family split up and supported each kid.

Nick's team won 3 to 1...and Ben and Kristian's team won 7 to 0.

Nick had 3 saves as goalie...and Kristian and Ben each scored goals.

Tonight Kai's team plays...and if it is anything like the last game (they won 8 to 1) it should be fun. The Daddy is coming to have dinner with mom and then attend the game. Chris is out of town...so Keith (ex-bro in law) will be taking over as coach for the evening.

I went to Barnes & Noble yesterday and used my bday giftcards. I came home with 16 new books. One of which I already had. Darn! I will be returning it today. I was there close to 2 hours browsing. I kept changing my mind and putting things back. Ask me if I remembered to get the church book club book....go ahead. NOPE! I forgot. Now I have to run out sometime before next weekend and find it. I got to thinking it is pretty ironic...that in the middle of being gossip central...our Oct. club read is called 30 days to taming your tongue.

So...anybody have any interesting facts on the Sioux Indians? Nick has a project due the end of the week...and he has just started. He is so frustrating. It's not that he put it off ...it's that he keeps changing his mind about what to do. First he was going to make a collage on poster board then he was planning to build a teepee(he's all..hey mom...could you go out and buy me some teepee fabric?)...then he wanted to smoke some buffalo (like I could pick some up easily at FoodLion). Now he wants to make a photo/fact album. He will need to spend the entire night completing this. He already has all the info and photos to put in the album...we just have to buy supplies later today.

Shame on you!

by teresa

I looked up gossip in the dictionary...here's what I found.

gossip - a report (often malicious) about the behavior of other people.
synonyms: hearsay, rumor, untruths, slander

gossip - a person given to gossiping and divulging personal information about others.
synonyms: scandalmonger, blabbermouth, tattletale, magpie, snoop, meddler

Our family experienced the effects of a gossip this weekend. Not the first time in our lives...and I'm sure not the last. The funniest instance is when someone gossiped about Chris...to Chris. Not realizing who he was. *hee hee* Someone hearing personal information from one(a very trusted ex-friend)....and passing it to many, many others. And under the pretense of "worrying" or..."just to make sure you knew (and you, and you, and you)".
Christian gossips are the worst. You know them. They come to you and say something like..."we need to pray for Sally...did you know her husband is running around on her....she really needs our prayers". Most of the time (and in our case) it is nothing but half-truths and heresay. I pity the people(you know who you are) who make themselves feel better by talking down about others. Sad...very sad.

What you don't see with your eyes, don't witness with your mouth. ~Jewish Proverb

Whoever gossips to you will gossip about you. ~Spanish Proverb

Leviticus 19:16 Do not go about spreading slander among your people. Do not do anything that endangers your neighbors life. I am the Lord.

Proverbs 11:13 A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.

Romans 1:29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips.

1 Timothy 5:13 Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to.

Matthew 7:1 Do not judge, or you too will be judged.

Proverbs 18:8 The words of gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a mans inmost parts.

Before you repeat a story about others, ask yourself, Is it true? Is it harmless? Is it necessary? If the answer is "no" to any of these questions, do not repeat it.

Pictures from my 37th birthday party!

by teresa

I'm so glad Saturday is finally here.
The temps. are in the 60's this morning...and only climbing to the low 70's for the high. Perfect soccer weather. We have three games...starting at 10:00am and ending around 1:00pm.
I have my camera batteries charged, my soccer chairs packed in the minivan, water bottles in the freezer getting chilled....and I'm ready to roll.
After the games my favorite (and only) sister is throwing me a birthday cookout. Yippee! She is hosting and cooking. All I have to do is show up....and enjoy. Isn't she kind to her (much older) sissy? That's what she used to call me....sissy.
Chris gave me the neatest card this morning. It's one of those Hallmark music cards. It plays "ain't no woman like the one I got".

I love this!

by teresa

I was sent the link to this hilarious video earlier in the week(thanks Kitty).
I had to share it with my fellow momma's.
I think I say every single thing in this video...many, many times a day.
I think I would add in...stop farting, slapping, nose picking and for heavens sake...flush the toilet pleeeease!
I should learn it....and sing it to my kids each morning to save time.
Click here now!

Have you sent God a knee-mail today?

by teresa

Yesterday was See You At The Pole all around the country. Lauren used to participate in this every year...now I can't believe Nick is old enough to participate. Students (and a few teachers) praying together around their schools flagpole.

I love it!

He and two other students (and a wonderful mom named Angie Miller) started a bible club at school. They set up a table yesterday afternoon during "club day"....and he said he thought about 30 people signed up. Oh my! He told me he volunteered to do devotions during the meetings. I can't believe this is my shy son. The things God has done for him...through our prayers. He is now in all honors classes this year (after a horrible experience last year with a team of teachers and kids that had attitudes, low expectations and bullying and scandal). They did not recommend him to take honors.... as a matter of fact they tried to talk me out of it this summer when I requested it. I had to talk to several administrators and write letters to get it done. The woman told me..."When he does poorly...you can't change him back." EXCUSE ME? I told her I would never let my son do poorly. If he had a hard time...we would support him. That burned me up.

Well...Nick is doing great.

LOVES all his classes (except gym...but who likes gym anyway).

He does hours of homework each night....without complaint.

Actually...he takes his time...and has such pride in the outcome.

We are thrilled.

Also...he is doing very well at soccer....a sport he has never played before...and was too nervous to ever participate in.

We give God all the glory!

by teresa

Nothing like starting your day with tummy issues.
Fun.
And, of course I have two morning commitments today.
Oh yeah....I'm out of imodum.
ARRRRRG!

don't mess with the momma

by teresa

Chris is correct *referring to his post below*.
He was defintely in "trouble" for a minute there.
I thought he was coming up to get his shoes to go pick Lauren up....
When he said..."I told her to figure it out for herself"..."and then hung up on her" ...I was a bit miffed.
My baby...stuck...at night.
He gave me a smile...like I was going to be on board with his decision.
I didn't smile back.
He retreated.
Lucky for all (him) she showed up not too long after
She had broken down at a friends house...and that friend drover her home.
Chris got a few tools (jumper cables,wrench,butter knife?...oooohh Mr. fixit is on the job) and drove to where the car was.
And danged if he didn't get it started(corroded battery thingys).
He followed her home...and all was right with the world again.

Figure It Out

By Chris

Teenagers are knuckleheads. Without giving all the details, Lauren tried to assert too much independence yesterday. Now, I'm all for independence, but I'm also for doing it appropriately. Respectfully. Made me mad. Stewed us for a good little while. Then, we get a call from her. Teresa refers it downstairs to me. Her car wouldn't start. Perfect set up, I thought. It went something like this:

L: Daddy, my car won't start . . . blah, blah, blah . . . explains the problem . . . so what's wrong with it?"

Me: I don't know. I'm not a mechanic. Since you're grown up enough to blah, blah, blah . . . figure it out. click!!!.

Back to tv-watching I went. A little while later, Teresa asks . .. "When are you going to get Lauren?" "I'm not," I said. Now, she was mad at her too, but I sensed she thought I had gone too far. I was scared for a minute. Teresa is sweet and all, but messing with her babies is a perilous venture. The child eventually showed up. Got a ride from a friend. Squirmed a little. Put her tail between her legs. And . . . I handled the car situation.

ouch...still hurts

by teresa

Monday.
My catch up day.
Get the house clean again and the hampers empty.
Over the weekend every other member of the Green household picks something up (book, magazine, toy cars, paper and crayons, lotion, bandaid box, etc.) and doesn't put in back where it goes.

So I spend most of Monday morning putting stuff back where it goes.

We have a very busy week ahead of us.

Soccer practices(5 ), MOPS meeting, See you at the Pole, Volunteer at Ben's school, George's (FIL) bday, Good News Bible Club(we had 55 kids come out last Friday), Nick and some other kids have a meeting with his principal tomorrow to start a bible club at his school, my birthday(Sat.) and Saturday is opening day (soccer)for Nick, Ben & Kristian and Kai's teams. I know...I know...we need to copy all the schedules for the grandparents (George&Jackie, Eric&Mary, my beautiful momma) and some folks from church (Scott) who want to come watch the kids play. Also, Chris is out of town somewhere in there.

I am on top of it all this year. Game one isn't until Saturday...and I have already dropped off the team shirts to get the kids names put on them, scheduled team pictures, ordered the trophies, typed up snack schedules, booked the parties and started the slide show presentation.

Things around here are getting a little more normal. You know AD.

Still cry sometimes...but mostly I just forget. Forget he is gone. I look out the window a couple of times a day...see his truck and think...I need to run over and see dad. I saw a preview for a movie yesterday and thought...dad will watch that with me. Lauren called last night and said her car wouldn't start....my first thought was to call dad and ask what he thought could be wrong. I miss him so much. Nick and Chris were in HIS garage Saturday. Organizing and cleaning for hours. Chris laughed at all my dad's "stuff". Fifty five years of gadgets, tools, trinkets, chords, rolls of tape, spray bottles, old paint, cans of WD-40, etc. Lots of which my hubby has no idea what it is...much less what it's used for. And so many nails. What in the world did he need 1,000,000 nails for? Bags so full Chris couldn't even drag them across the floor. They will continue to tackle the garage project for many, many weekends. I will continue to tackle my broken heart problem forever.

"One only needs two tools in life: WD-40 to make things go...and duct tape to make things stop."

I don't like the hotness

This is what my hair looked like today.
Stupid, Virginia humidity. It should not be 90 degrees on Sept. 22nd! Soccer practices (Nick's, Kai's and Ben's from 9:00-12:00) went from hot, to sweaty-itchy-melting-hot, then finally to drenched t-shirt-bozo hair-bra wringing-nose bleed hot!
I am staying in my house till Thanksgiving....just to make sure I miss the rest of 2007's torridity.

I have 35 men...and I'm on level 5!

by teresa

There was a cricket in our bedroom last night. It started chirping around midnight....and continued for hours.
I was awake anyway. Haven't been sleeping too well the past week.
Bad dreams...everyone's dying...or lost. I lay there for hours...body tired(very tired)...but my mind wide awake and thinking about things that I shouldn't dwell on. After a couple of nights like this I found an outlet. No...not reading. For some reason I have had no desire to pick up a book since last Tuesday(except for reading with the boys).
It's Ben's Nintendo DS. That's right...Nintendo...the healer of the mind. Actually, it pretty much numbs the mind.
I'm sure you will agree. When our kids play nintendo or Wii or Playstation or XBox...they are in another world. Zoned out...gone. I need that sometimes.
So Chris and I crawl into bed...talk...*ahem*...and when I hear him snoring...I whip out my friend...the DS. I lay there and play (Super Mario or BrainAge)until I can't keep my eyes open. I turn the volume all the way down...so it doesn't bother him. The other night he rolled over and saw the green glow through the covers. He was like "you have GOT to be kidding me...weirdo!" He also said "I am going to put it on the blog!" So I thought I would beat him to the punch and tell you myself.

A fine conscience I turned out to be!

by teresa

I love just about everything about fall...but one thing I don't like is...the crickets. They come in the house...and I hate them. To me...it's like a jumping spider. Ewww! I have been trying to track a very loud, annoying one for two days. I can hear it (and hear it and hear it) but I can't find it...to SQUISH IT! It's very clever...cause it will chirp relentlessly...but when I come close....silence.

Soccer practices were so pleasant last night. The temps. were in the 60's...which is my kind of weather. The first of the week...the highs here were 70! Now they have shot back up a bit. I can't wait till it's cool all the time. Question: when do we change our clocks back? It should be soon I think. The past couple of mornings have been really dark while I'm trying to get Ben ready for school at 6:30am. He keeps whining..."it's too dark...I still have more time."

I had a very successful trip to the thrift store yesterday...which always puts me in a good mood. I spent $20 whole dollars on nothing but books. At 25 cents a piece...that's a lot of books! They were mostly books on my kids accelerated reader lists...and a few new winnie the pooh and Golden books to hold aside for the next baby shower I am invited to. Today I will bring the FOUR BAGS of books in from the car and enter them in my computer inventory before shelving them. What? Doesn't everyone have a spreadsheet of all the books in their house by title, author and genre? I know...it's sad huh?

Before I head off to Starbucks for a hot cafe latte (mmmmm) I want to show some pictures from yesterdays practice. I took a couple of Ben, Kristian and Kai playing...and 40 of baby Maya (8 weeks) sitting on the sidelines.

Enjoy!

The last picture is of Shorty the dog. After taking the kids to school yesterday....I came in the living room and here's what I found. Him on the couch (which is prohibited) flipping through the channels. I had to take a picture...cause it looked just like he was actually watching tv. Watching Dirty Jobs on the discovery channel if you want to know.

we are so blessed to have each other

by teresa

I literally fell out of bed this morning. Chris had cut the radio down to a whisper last night in an attempt to listen to one of his talk shows....so when the alarm went off this morning....we didn't hear it for 15 minutes.
Yikes!
I leaped from the bed...hit my toe (ouch) on the chest...tripped and kept tripping across the room with nothing to grab on to...and ended up hitting the bathroom door (which wasn't closed all the way) which flew open and I came to a halt on the bathroom floor. I made so much noise I'm sure I scared Chris to death. I just sat there holding my wounded toe...and giggling. It looked like something from a Three Stooges sketch.

I need to go to the bookstore later and buy the book for our next church book club meeting. It's called...30 Days to Taming the Tongue. I'm sure it is a fine book...but you guys know me. I am not into non fiction....self helpish books. So this will be a chore to read...and retain.
The only way to get to pick the book we read is to host a club meeting in your home. So host I shall! January is all mine! I will have everyone read A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. Now that is an important and exciting book to read.
Speaking of books....my birthday is in 10 days. So you know I have a book list going for all the Barnes & Noble gift cards I get each year. Mom asked.."Do you want the usual B&N gift card? "Don't you have all the books you want?"
That is very funny. I always have a list going. I can never have too many.
Now a place to put them....that's what I need.
Every bookcase, shelf, basket, ledge and nook is filled with books.
Maybe Nick can help me out...and build me something.

I walked over to mom's last night before I went to bed. Her and Lauren were on the couch...books spread all around...studying for a test. They have been doing this for a few nights now. Lauren did below average on a test she took the night of my dad's viewing (what a horrible week to prepare for a test). So my mom has made it her mission to get Lauren A's in all her classes from now on. Lauren has been staying with mom since last Tuesday...and I think it gives mom something and someone to fuss over.

Once all the kids are off to school, mom and I are heading over to the cemetery. Not to mourn over my father's grave (we are not that kinda family...we know that he is not there anymore...so we don't need to go "visit" him) but to look at other peoples grave markers. The ladies from the cemetery came yesterday for us to design his marker...and we just couldn't think of the perfect words...or symbols for it. So we decided to go look around and maybe pick up some ideas or inspiration from how others are designed. It may sound weird...but we really want to to be perfect.

I am off to wake the sleeping giant.
Nick.
That boy keeps getting taller and taller and older looking...but thankfully he is still has the heart of a child. He went for a bike ride yesterday evening and came back all upset. "Mom...dad...guess what I just saw?" "A girl from my bus walking down the street....smoking!"
*dun dun dun* *dramatic music*
Oh no...not smoking!!
Most people would not be shocked by this.
In this day and age when you can walk down the street in some places and see kids having sex, doing drugs or worse to each other.
But to Nick...this was mind blowing.
Why would a 12 yr old be smoking?
He said, "she better watch out or the police will see her."
I like that he was upset by this.
Hopefully he will never pick up that habit.
Now if he was just as offended by that smell coming from his room...I would be a happy.

one week down...

by teresa

I'm still here...and I'm doing ok.

At first the hurt was so bad I thought my heart would burst (and my head...boy does your head get stuffy when you cry for 48 hours straight).

Now the tears have been replaced by laughter.

Laughter from stories about the funniest...most complicated man I will ever know.

Stories from co-workers, childhood friends and his siblings.

Most of my favorite stories were from Joe...his teenage neighbor...and future brother in law. This is one big man. Scared everyone in the neighborhood. When I here about his exploits I think about that song from the 70's Leroy Brown...baddest man in the whole *bleep* town!
Lil' Jimmy would bug the snot (Joe's words) out of him to play with him. With Dad being 7 or 8...Joe being about 14....Joe would get aggravated at his pestering. You would be more successful trying to shoo flies off honey. My Dad was relentless..and wanted Joe to play cowboys and Indians with him. Joe finally gave in....took lil' Jimmy...tied him to the clothesline....packed leaves under his feet (he said at this point my dad was completely giddy with excitement over how "real" Joe was playing) and then set it on fire.
Yes, on fire!
Joe said he was going to put it out...after Jimmy started to get upset. But about that time...Jean (his momma and my namesake) came bursting out the back door. She jumped on Joe and started wailing on him(the woman was truly a force not to be messed with). He said...she was so busy beating the life out of him...that she had forgotten about lil' Jimmy. He was still screaming...leaves a smokin'...and tied to the pole. They all finally did remember Jimmy's peril...and set him loose. He was crying...and smelled like barbecue...but ok.

Joe went on to marry Dad's sister Linda....get saved and become a preacher later in life.

He was at mom's house this past week. Older...but still a giant of a man. He told this story and many, many others. After the laughter would die down...he would sit...and cry for his lil' buddy.
That was tough to watch.

*sigh*

I went back to my volunteer work today. I sat at the security desk at Ben's school for a couple of hours. I wanted to just get out of the house...and pretend things were normal.

One week down.....