The forest is my peaceful place.

So much has changed.  So much is changing.

Quick snapshot:

• August 1st, I am no longer employed due to a reduction in my team with an acquisition.
• August 20th, Doodle starts 1st grade, Bug starts pre-K4 and 'lil Brother and Stinkerbell will be home with me full-time.  Yes... you read that right.  We have baby #4, a girl, born May 1st and I'm going to be a SAHM.
• August 20th, something else is happening but we cannot speak of it right now.

I pray I'm going to start this again. I'm gonna need it.

The forest is my peaceful place.

God sent me an Angel

So hubby's in Albany, GA on a middle school's mission trip with church. He's organized a lot of it and I'm thrilled for him. My mom is in town helping me get the kids off to school and me to work every day.

Yesterday was a frustrating day. Nothing in particular at all, just a lot of frustration. I've been trying really hard to not lose my temper and get angry with the kids (yelling, etc) so as I was keeping myself in check, I sent hubby a text and said "Please pray for me." He called me right back and I was frustrated that he wanted to pray for me on the phone (see? I told you I was frustrated...) I said, "I'm trying to get Lil Brother to sleep. Don't pray with me. Pray FOR me. I gotta go." I lay down with Lil Brother and started to breathe and nurse him to sleep. All of a sudden I hear these footsteps across the tile and see this little head bob up to me on the bed.

Doodle: "Mommy? I uh... uh... I uh..."
(Now keep in mind, her staying in her room has been a big battle and she's been doing great with it lately.)
Me: *sternly* "What?"
Doodle: "I um...um..."
Me: *more sternly* "WHAT?"
Doodle: "I wanna teach you something."
Me: "Ok"
Doodle: She starts singing... "Arise and shine and give God the glory, glory. Arise and shine and give God the glory glory, Rise and shine and give God the glory, glory, Children, of the Lord."

I burst into tears. I grabbed her and told her that she was my GIFT from God and that she had made mommy's night so special.

Then I told her to get her booty in bed. :)

I texted hubby and said, "whatever you prayed, thanks... God sent me an Angel."

He called me back and said, "WHAT HAPPENED?!" I told him and he started tearing up. He said he felt the Holy Spirit leave his shoulder and rest on mine."

Thanks God for the reminder... :)

My sweet Doodle turned 4!

My sweet and spirited Doodledunk is four.  She turned four yesterday and we celebrated over the weekend with my parents that came into town.  We also celebrated at her school yesterday with blueberry muffins we made the night before.  We luckily were able to piggyback on the Easter party they had a school and didn't need to go overboard.  My husband made a good call too.  We had bought $70+ dollars worth of trinkets, etc to go in homemade goody bags for her (31!!!) classmates but then rethought that decision that it just wasn't necessary and we're going to return the items.  I've never understood why other children get gifts on other kids' birthdays.  

We had been working Doodle up for her birthday for a few weeks now.  We would ask her over and over what she wanted for her birthday and she replied, Speed toys (Lightning McQueen, Cars toys), Dora and Boots, light-up shoes, a pink cake, pink icing and a four candle.  Oh, and an American flag (???).  

It was also our 6th anniversary this weekend so my parents came into town to watch the kids while hubby and I went out.  They got to enjoy the festivities for Doodle's birthday. My mom made a pink cake, pink icing and we had a "four candle". 

 

 
The only thing she didn't get was the American flag.  We're working on that...She also got the cutest phone.  It's a real phone, just a mini version and we hooked it up in the office. It's her grandparent hotline and she loves it.

A coworker let us have her bunk beds and an unused mattress for FREE!  (Thank you GC!)  We took her to Kohl's to pick out a new bedding set and she just thought she was hot stuff.  We ended up going with this set.  She was thrilled to have a big bed with big pillows and a big comforter.

After celebrating at school yesterday, hubby and I left the kids there to run home and do a few things that we usually do during the evenings.  I kind of felt guilty leaving them, but we knew we'd be tired after the evening's activities so I'm so thankful we decided to do that.  After 45 minutes at home, we turned around and picked them up, drove to Monkey Jungle and met my two friends from high school that are here visiting.  It had been since 2001 since I've seen them.  It was so great.  I just wanted to hug them and never let go.  They brought two of their three children and the kids had a blast playing around the place.

We left around 8pm (our kids' usual bedtime) and it was meltdown city.  As we were leaving, the employee gave Doodle a lollipop and we told her she could have it tomorrow.  She promptly took off the wrapper and licked it and daddy threw it away (for not obeying).  The entire way home she cried.  She informed us she wanted to be SIX, skip FIVE and be a grown up so she could drive.  Lil' Brother cried most of the way (he was overtired) and Bug fell asleep.  The only thing we could do was laugh.  Sometimes that's all you can do!

I think she had a fantastic birthday although I think the only thing she remembers is that daddy threw away her lollipop.  *smiles*