Sunday, February 24, 2008

Big Changes


I'm no longer a member of the Tallahassee Irish Step Dancers.
While that may not sound like a big deal in the grand scheme of things, it is to me.
I was there for the very first meeting, in September of 1999. I took a few months off in college, and 6 months off during my pregnancy and after having Fox.

There are many reasons that went into this huge decision.
But the biggest one is that my priorities have changed.
I love dancing. That hasn't changed.
But I realized that with the short time I have to mold my son into a godly man, and increasing demands for more rehearsal, that something had to give.
My priority has to be being the best mom and wife I can be.
Not being with my family for 2-5 hours each Sunday afternoon was not accomplishing that.
I would come home exhausted, more often than not injured and sometimes frustrated.

This afternoon I took Fox into the studio with me and shared my decision with the group.
I will miss these people that have been a part of my life for so many years.
This is a picture of our group in 2001. The little girl that I was dancing with is now a junior in high school. Her name is Kate, and she's an amazing dancer, and a beautiful person. Kate promises we will keep in touch via Facebook. I hope so!

After leaving the studio, Vance asked me if I wanted to go get some ice cream. Ice Cream? I just cut out my main source of exercise, and the man wants to take me for ice cream. ; )
Vance has been so supportive through this process. He never told me to quit, but he helped me look at my reasons for staying vs. going. There was a lot of praying out of the both of us.

We went over to our friends Barb and Rick Theobald's house. (Aunt Barb and Uncle Rick to Fox). I just wanted to sit on their beautiful deck and look out onto the water and thank the Lord for my many blessings.
We played on the deck, I petted Tum-Tum the Wonder Cat, Fox hung out with Barb and Rick while Vance and I took the canoe on the lake, and we enjoyed a meal together. We enjoyed the meal in spite of the fact that I caught the stove on fire. Seriously. Flames, smoke detector blaring, the whole shebang.

So, that will explain my bit of melancholy. I'm mourning the girl that was the Irish Dancer. It's okay though. That was a season, and there will be many other seasons to look forward to.

Monday, February 18, 2008

Our singing Fox

Here's Fox hugging Katelyn, whose parents were in our childbirth class oh so long ago.


Isn't it a parenting rule that you have to take a "Spaghetti face" picture? Well, here's Fox.


Fox likes to peruse Daddy's Hot Rod Magazines...he gets very excited talking about the "WHEELS!"



Fox has started singing.

Saturday was Ranen's 2nd birthday party, and he enjoyed everyone singing "Happy Birthday". After the party, we headed to Sam's Club to pick up a few things Sandra needed for the Strickland's baby shower.

Somewhere on Capital Circle, we heard something out of Fox in the back seat...kind of like "happy...birday...you...Ranen...birday..." I asked Fox if he was singing Happy Birthday to Ranen, and he just got the biggest grin on his face, he was just thrilled that I had figured it out! So we all sang "Happy Birthday" to Ranen in the car on the way to and from Sams.
This morning when we woke up, we heard his little voice on the monitor "Happy...to me..Birday...Ranen"
Just in case you've ever wondered how to keep 5 toddler boys still for almost 10 minutes - the answer is cupcakes.


Then today we were playing at the house before dinner and Fox get his little sing-songy voice and says "Jesus...me...Bible..." I think about it, and then realize he's singing "Jesus Loves Me"! So of course we've been singing that all evening.


Here he is saying his latest favorite phrase..."Hold ME!" (emphasis on the ME!)

This picture makes me wonder...where did my baby go? Here he was a year ago...

And here is our walking, talking, singing Fox.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

LOLCats...




This one made me think of Fox and his "mookey" (monkey)



Any time I need a good laugh, I head over to www.icanhascheezburger.com. Love me some LOLCATS!

Thursday, February 14, 2008

The One Semester of Spanish Spanish Love Song

Happy Valentine's Day!




Please ignore the gratuitous nippleage.