Random Thoughts & Pictures

Well, its a Thursday...a school day where I get to talk to 3 year olds for 6 hours and today Jarrod is in meetings and has a dinner...so 3 year old talk will also encompass my evening. Don't get me wrong...I love my kids at school and I cherish the alone time with Logan...however, I decided I had better relieve some of the vocabulary. Today it has consisted of "Do you think that was a good choice?" "Please don't tattle unless you are bleeding or hurt" "Good job guys, I'm so proud of you!" "Do you have to potty?" "Please keep your hands to yourself" Today's personal favorite: "No, we didn't make God, God made us." So, here goes my randomness:

Food:

So, when I am pregnant I have weird issues with food. Not just the typical cravings, aversions, etc. When I was pregnant with Logan (and didn't realize I was), I was skiing in Colorado with some dear friends over Spring Break. I went to go get chicken tenders at lunch the last day that we were there, bit into them and they were RAW! I didn't eat chicken again until I was about 7 months pregnant, and then it was out of necessity. Never before or after have I gotten raw meat at a restaurant. Well, Tuesday morning I was eating a bagel at school and out crawled a baby roach...yes, it did....I'm not sure that I'll ever be able to bring myself to eat another Einstein Bros. bagel. Never before have I encountered a bug in my food and I've eaten at some pretty shady places (Mexico, Thailand, Malaysia, the Phillipines...come on...)

Rodeo:

I LOVE the rodeo. Ever since I moved to Texas, I've loved the atmosphere, the smells, the rumble and mostly just that wildness that surrounds the rodeo. When we lived in Houston, we were able to attend a lot of Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo performances. Logan was 3 months old when he went to his first rodeo...but due to the craziness of our lives over the past two years that was his last rodeo until this year. Jarrod grew up going to the Ft. Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. His dad competed in the stock show growing up, so it holds some pretty sentimental value as well. So, this year, we loaded up and met Pops and Mimi at the stock show and went on the the rodeo that night. Logan was 100% enthralled. He loved it. He loved all of the animals, but he especially loved the rodeo part. My favorite event is barrel racing--and Logan knows this. I explained the event, then told him what was going on with each girl during the event. So, the next night and every night since he has been setting up barrels and "racing" on his stick horse. He has to add some drama at the end because his favorite part was the steer wrestling (because the men "fell off" of their horses.) So, at the end of his ride, he has to fall off of his horse--its HILARIOUS!!!

Here is a rodeo picture:

People:
I have been blessed--abundantly! I have a husband who is more than I ever knew or thought to pray for...who is not just an amazing husband or father, but just an incredible man of character, of integrity and my hero of heros. I have a son that is my miracle, my God-send and the true definition of joy. I have two of the most amazing parents anyone could hope for--they've faced tough, tough lives and they have triumphed amazingly over them. I have a mother-in-law that loves me like I'm her own, who has faced her own share of toughness lately and who is still smiling and encouraging despite it. I have a father-in-law and his wife who love us, who love our child and who have challenged us in ways that we didn't know we needed to be challenged. I have a sister-in-law and her husband who have been such an integral part of our family and who love Logan as much as if he were theirs. I have 6 of the most different, fabulous, wacky, precious siblings that I just adore. I have a precious baby niece, 2 wonderful nephews and 2 of the most amazing teenage nieces that I can only complain about not getting to see nearly enough. I have wonderful extended family and in-laws that encourage me and my family in ways that no one else can. I have a fabulous group of friends that are in so many categories...friends that are pre-college that I still connect with often, college friends that we still celebrate with several times a year, Houston friends that we've known since we were married and amazing new friends that I feel like God has just set in my life to make me so much better.
Thank you to all of you...you are such a blessing!

Here are some more pictures:

Logan with cousins Hannah and Evan

Logan with cousin Whitney

My Family Christmas:

Jarrod's Mom's Family:

Jarrod's Dad and Debbie:

Logan and Nanny