Having Purpose...

When Alice was walking through Wonderland, she found herself at a crossroads. She was confused over which way she should go. Startled by the Cheshire Cat up in a nearby tree, Alice asked the Cat which way she should go. "That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the cat. Alice replied, "I don't much care where--" The cat saucily answered, "Then it doesn't matter which way you go." to be continued...

Scriptures that have been ministering to me lately...

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;

do not depend on your own understanding.

Seek His will in all you do,

and He will direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord.

"They are plans for good and not for disaster,

to give you a future and a hope.

In those days when you pray, I will listen.

If you look for ME in earnest,

you will find Me when you seek Me.

I will be found by you," says the Lord.

"I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes.

I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you

and bring you home again to your own land."

Jeremiah 29:11-14

Graduation

The cutest boys in the world!

Trevor's Pre-K graduation was last night.

As you can see, he was very happy!

I think all of our faces hurt from smiling ear to ear all night!

Welcome to Blogville...

Kim finally joined the blogging community! Yea! Check them out at:

www.cunninghamrules.blogspot.com

(I will also put their link to the right, for future reference.)

Enjoy!

People

What is WRONG with people? I don't get it! Here's the story... I went to Costco this morning to get gas and milk, as they are way cheaper there. I got gas first and I pulled up to the second pump because there was a car in front of me at the first pump. (There's a sign that says, "Pull all the way forward", which seems like a no brainer to me, but whatever.) By the time I finished pumping my gas, the car in front of me had finished and driven away. No sooner had I gotten in my van and closed the door a car pulled up behind me and started HONKING at me! I looked in my rear view mirror to see a woman with her hand's thrown up in the air, impatiently. So, I threw my hands up in the air in the same manner, as if to say, "What?". (In retrospect, that probably wasn't necessary, but at least I didn't make any other gestures!) I'm not sure what she expected me to do? Was she so impatient that she couldn't wait the 20 seconds it was taking me to put my seat belt on and put the keys in the ignition? Or was she mad because she thought I hadn't pulled all the way forward? At any rate, I went along my merry way, all the while with this woman laying on her horn at me! RIDICULOUS! So, that was irritating because impatient people irritate me! Ha! I got over it soon enough, though and I drove over and parked at Costco. Wouldn't you know it, towards the end of my shopping trip, I saw that woman! I know she recognized me, too, because she kind of did a double take when she saw me! I briefly thought about saying something to her but then decided against it because, really, what would I say? "I'm sorry you were so impatient!" Ha! So, here's the clincher. I paid for my purchases and walked out to my van, only to find that IT HAD BEEN KEYED! The entire drivers side of my brand new van is completely scratched up! Coincidence? I THINK NOT!!! I am equally HACKED and DUMBFOUNDED! I just have a hard time wrapping my brain around how someone can be like that!?! And it's not like she was an immature, bratty teenager. This woman looked to be in her 40's! I don't get it! So, now I have to file an insurance claim and take my van in to be fixed and get a rental car and pay a deductible...all because I wanted to save a few bucks on gas and milk! I know that wasn't a very happy, uplifting story, but clearly, I'm NOT happy! But, in the spirit of keeping positive, I will end my post with another story about "people"... The other day I was, again, shopping. This time at Safeway. As I exited the store, pushing my shopping cart, a car stopped for me so that I could cross the street. As I was in the middle of the street (in the cross walk, mind you), a big truck drove by and did not stop for me! It wasn't my favorite, but I didn't give it much thought. Whatever. I went on my merry way. (I'm very merry, as you can see!) So, I got to my van, unloaded my groceries and as I started to get in, a woman (probably in her 50's) came up to me... It was the driver of the truck! She tracked me down in order to apologize for not stopping for me! See! There ARE nice people out there, too. How refreshing.

T-Ball

Another T-Ball season has come and gone!

Trevor had his end-of-season pizza party the other night,

after his last game.

Now we just have two more weeks of baseball to go! Buddies!

(Cameron and Trevor)

More Zoo Pictures

Saturday at the Zoo!

Running

Kim informed me the other day that I am a runner. I know it's funny that that was a revelation to me, as the definition of a runner is "one who runs". (Actually, I'm just guessing on that definition. I don't know if "Webster" really says it like that.) Point being, I run. My run today really kicked my butt! It was time to bump it up and start running faster, further and longer. Oy! Let me sum it up this way... I was watching The Daily Show with Jon Stewart last night and one of his "Field Correspondents" said something [about running] that cracked me up! He said: "It combines the glamour of sweating with the convenience of not stopping!" I couldn't have said it better myself! Happy running!

Another Spring Concert

So handsome!

(I know I say that a lot, but I can't help it! Just look at him!)Gavin, Heather, and Shania:

(He's quite the "ladies' man"!) Emma-Mae and Gavin:

(Gavin has been smitten with Emma-Mae since Kindergarten! I found out, from her mom, that he gave her a necklace the other day! Ahhhhh...) Gavin's Spring Concert was the other night. He sang and played the recorder! It was fun to see it all come together and hear how all that practicing paid off! He did great!

Mother's Day Tea

Gavin's class put on a little production for us mothers, today. It was so sweet! There were a couple of times when the Kleenex box had to be passed around! (Just imagine a room full of moms with their children singing sappy songs at them!) I was so proud of Gavin! He got thrust into the spotlight when another student was absent. He ended up having 3-4 solo parts! Those of you who know Gavin know that this was a miraculous feat! He has come a LOOOONG way! Praise the Lord!

Our Days at the Baseball Field...

Justice, Gavin and Sloan Gavin (Another Grand Slam!? That's my boy!) Gavin Cameron, Sloan and Trevor

Hockey in the Cul-de-sac

A Quote for the Day...

"Whatever you are, be a good one."

~Abe Lincoln

Spring Concert

Trevor's Spring Concert was last night. Isn't he handsome!? The concert was SO SO cute and precious! And Trevor did really well! He's quite the little singer lately! And, of course, after the concert, we all went out for ice cream!

Another Field Trip

The father of one of Gavin's classmates is in the Coast Guard, so he arranged for their class to tour his ship! (And eat lunch in the galley!) We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day!

For the Birds

Here are some new pictures of the baby birds in our yard. My best guess is that they are about two weeks old, now. Aren't they cute? I should probably stop checking on them pretty soon, and just leave them alone. I don't want to scare them. I'm scared for them when the boys play soccer out there! Yikes!

Purpose

One of the books I am reading right now is, "Life is a Gold Mine" by Dr. John W. Stanko. In it he quotes Richard Nelson Bolles from his book, "What Color is Your Parachute". I think this is great... "We need to unlearn the idea that our unique Mission must consist of some achievement which all the world will see, and learn instead that as the stone does not always know what ripples it has caused in the pond whose surface it impacts, so neither we nor those who watch our life will always know what we have achieved by our life and by our Mission. It may be that by the grace of God we helped bring about a profound change for the better in the lives of other souls around us, but it also may be that this takes place beyond our sight, or after we have gone on. And we may never know what we have accomplished, until we see Him face-to-face after this life is past."

Desperate Housewife!

Kim and I have been getting together every week to watch Desperate Housewives, lately. (Yes, I watch DH...get over it!) Usually she comes over here because my boys go to bed earlier than hers do. And, let's face it, I have fewer of them. Ha! Last night we decided to watch it at her house on their new, big, flat screen! DH in HD, baby! Well... I was driving on the dark back roads to her house when... I RAN OUT OF GAS!!!! (Are you freakin' kidding me!?) I pulled off to the side of the dimly lit road, just in time for the van to die completely and "@*%#!" to escape my lips! I then said a quick prayer for protection and reception and called Bryan to rescue me. (Notice the prayer came after the expletive. Whatever. Thank GOD for cell phones!) Fortunately, Bryan just happened to have a gas can with gas in it that he had gotten for the lawn mower! (I guess it's a good thing he didn't actually get around to mowing the lawn this weekend..!?) I said, "You'll have to wake up the boys and throw them in the car and bring me some gas! And, PLEASE HURRY!" (Not only was I not comfortable sitting on that dark road by myself, but DH was about to start! Ha ha!) Moments later, a cop pulled up behind me, which I was kind of expecting. I was on that road that is always teaming with cops, and I did pray for protection, after all! He came up to the window and said, "Is everything ok?" I said, "I ran out of gas!" By that point I was totally laughing! (What can I say? It's what I do.) He said to me, "Really? People still do that!?" Nice. He was actually very funny and very nice...and, as he was very quick to point out after checking my license...younger than me! (Thanks. He also liked my "soccer mom mobile"!) So, anyway, he stayed with me until Bryan got there and we talked Desperate Housewives! Turns out, he's a fan! Awesome. Kim just got Direct TV, so she was able to pause it till I got there. (Phew!) So, after my "Desperate Housewife" moment was over, we were able to settle in with some cheesecake and brownies and enjoy the show!

Happy Birthday, Kim!

Today is Kim's 30th birthday...and she's as beautiful as ever! Kim's all time favorite thing to do is RUN! So, that's what we did today for her birthday. We packed up all the boys and went to the track at the new Jr. High. Olivia met us there, too, and we ran while the boys rode their bikes and played soccer. It was very fun and, of course, it was exercise! Hope you have a super fun, blessed day, my dear friend! Love you!

Birdie Update

Sorry to disappoint you golfers out there, but this post has nothing to do with the Masters! Ha ha! I am talking about the nest I posted about a while ago. The eggs have hatched! The top picture was taken on Easter and I took the bottom picture today. It is so interesting to watch this process and to observe a "family unit" in nature! Mom and dad take turns going out to find food while the other stays with the babies. The one that's coming back with food will stand on top of the fence and look around for danger before taking a round-about way to the nest. All the while, looking around to make sure it's not being followed! As soon as it gets to the nest, the other one flies out to take it's turn looking for food. I try not to check on the babies very often because I don't want to scare off mom and dad so that they don't come back! The nest was built under a plastic chair that has been upside down in the yard all winter. It's actually a pretty safe place...As long as I can keep the boys away from it! The mom and dad are out there on the fence right now. They are keeping a very close eye on my boys and their nest! Sadly, daddy bird has some food for the little ones, but he's afraid to go in there with "danger" lurking about!

The Royal Treatment

Princess Smudge, sleeping in!

And, no, I didn't do that! She thinks she's one of the people...

...not to be confused with a commoner!

Happy Easter!

Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life.

He who believes in me will live."

John 11:25

Of Course...

Nothing says "Easter" quite like Star Wars eggs! (Lisa, see what you have to look forward to!?)

Happy Spring!

Bryan found this birds' nest when he was mowing the back yard, yesterday! I know this isn't a very exciting post, but...it is what it is! (That's my new motto. Thanks, Pastor Steve! Ha! It works in pretty much any situation. You should try it!) I guess I can't say that I've been too busy to blog, because I still seem to find time to get on the computer and dink around. I will say, however, that I've been too busy to feel like blogging! How's that!? I'm sure I'll catch the blogging bug again, soon, though. So, stay tuned!