It was worth it.

Cupcake and I went to Target today, just before heading to her dentist appointment. At the health department. You all remember how much I love the health department. This is all just further proof that God has a sense of humor.

Anyway.

As we are making our way out of the store, I notice that the little Starbucks cafe is offering samples. Ok, like DUH, I'm going to go over there and get one. There were little cups of iced coffee (yum) and samples of little pieces of coffee cake.

I got the coffee and Cupcake got the coffee cake. (Say that 5 times fast)

Just as Cupcake was shoving the first bite in to her mouth I realized how stupid I am for giving her something to eat RIGHT before we were to go to the dentist. I debated, for a split second, which option would be worse: #1 slap it out of her hand, causing a nuclear meltdown at the store, or #2 just let her eat it.

So when we got in the car, I gave her a drink of my Diet Dr Pepper and told her to swish it around in her mouth to make all the crumbs go away. Yes, I did. She did it. Twice.

So we went to the dentist and after a looooooong drawn out conflict involving the wrong name on the medical card, and the wrong name on the routine consent form from dcfs, and an incident with a broken fax machine, the dental assistant came out after Cupcake's cleaning and said, "Can you come here for a minute?"

Oh crap.

She then proceeded to LECTURE me on how I need to help Cupcake with her brushing habits, because there was a LOT of "stuff" around her teeth. (And yes, she even knows that Cupcake is my foster daughter)

I thought about defending myself, saying "But she just ate a piece of cake and washed it down with some pop. Of COURSE she has stuff in there."

The coffee and cake was worth the lecture. Just ask Cupcake.

A Southern sunrise

Taken on our trip to Little Rock in May. Sitting out on the boat dock at Granny and Papa's lake cabin. Only the sound of crickets, and the occasional frog.

And if the ginormous skeeters bother you.......you do what you have to do.

5-year-old humor

The three of us driving home in the car yesterday, after picking Seth up at work:

Cupcake: Suddenly in fits of belly laughing, so much she can barely speak.

Me: "What in the world are you laughing at?"

Cupcake: More fits of laughter.

Me: Giggling because she is just so funny.

Seth: Looks at me as if I have lost my mind.

Me: "Seriously, what's so funny?"

Cupcake: More hysterical laughter.

Seth: *Sigh*

Cupcake: "BANANA HEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" followed by so much laughing she nearly peed her pants.

Me: Laughing so hard that I nearly crashed the car

Seth: Secretly smiling in the passenger seat.

Thank you God, for A/C

The fact that it is 94 degrees right now is not what bothers me the most. It's the fact that it is SO humid that I sweat like a pig the second I walk out the door. Ugh. And I know it's bad when Cupcake is complaining about it as well. She asks me every.single. time. we get in the car (and it's boiling hot), "Can you pleeeeeease turn on the heater??!" She, of course, means the a/c, but her little 5 year old brain can't quite remember the correct word.

I am not teaching the whole week, as I scheduled myself a nice little break. But we are staying indoors, at least today, and soaking up the cold air as much as we can. I know of several people right now that do not have a/c. I do not know how they are surviving.

How hot is it where you live?

The "F" word.

Noooooo, shame on you! Not THAT "F" word!!!! It's actually worse than that.

Fleas.

Yep, that's right. Somehow my 2 indoors-only cats have gotten fleas. How does that happen? So they got a good dose of flea meds this morning and, in return, I got 2 very dirty looks and a couple smacks with the tail.

I get the feeling they don't appreciate me.

Create in Me a Clean Heart

I've been struggling lately with keeping on top of things. I do realize that we've had a major change in our household (Cupcake arrived 2.5 weeks ago) and we have been sick. But things have been sliding and my to do list is not getting the attention it needs.

I just stumbled upon this website (click the button below) this afternoon. Looks good, what I've read so far, so I thought I'd share. Be sure to check out the rest of her site. She's got some good stuff.

Moving on

I haven't been posting on this blog lately like I have wanted to. I have so much life to cram on to this little space here, and I have no time to do it! Then I feel overwhelmed because I feel like I have to catch up.

That's not going to happen. So I'm giving you the quick and dirty version of life over the last several weeks, and then I'm moving on. Maybe I will get un-stuck.

- Went to Arkansas, had an incredibly fun time and want to go again soon.
- Got back from Arkansas and got a foster placement. "Cupcake" is 5 years old. She's a trip.
- Been busy with her, and just trying to adjust to having her here.
- She's been trying to adjust to being here.
- Teaching 30 students a week.
- Cupcake and I were both really sick last week (or was it the week before?). But we're better now. Seth didn't get it, thank goodness.
- VBS, trips to the zoo, picnics with friends
- Listening to Cupcake's rendition of Jesus Loves Me. What a hoot!

I've got some 'splainin to do.

But this is really it in a nutshell: I'm a blog slacker. But I'm here now so that counts for something, right?

As I mentioned before, Seth and I got the chance to fly down to Little Rock to visit with his mom's side of the family. Granny, Papa, aunts, cousins, and a few cats and dogs thrown in. And the hugest spiders I have ever seen in my life.

Pictures, as promised.



We left very early on a Sunday morning (the day after my recital, which I suppose I should have posted about first. But I don't do things in order. Deal with it.) That's right, it's 2:39 in the MORNING. We had to drive to St Louis to catch our plane that morning, to then fly to Little Rock.



Got to the airport waaaaaaaaaay earlier than expected, due to a very nice brother in law who offered to drive us to the airport so we wouldn't have to ride the metro-link train there. Spent some time - quite a bit - watching the airplanes take off and land. It still amazes me that those things can take off like they do. Gets me every time. Seth, of course, tried once again to explain the reasoning behind it. That's fine. But I like to think that God's out there giving them a little push up up uuuup. Especially when I'm sitting inside the plane.



Monday morning we woke up at Granny and Papa's house to the smell of freshly brewed coffee (it's what gets me out of bed, people) and breakfast cooking. Of course, Joplin got some bacon, too.


Abby was not happy that he did not share. Notice her feet? She's got 6 toes - on each foot. You'd think she would have been able to fend for herself.



I don't know if I've mentioned this before here or not, but one of my goals in life is to visit each of the 50 states and get a state magnet when I travel to each one. (States visited so far: 10) So....since we were close, Seth wanted to take me to Memphis (where he spent part of his childhood). We drove the 2 hours to visit Mud Island only to find out it was closed on Mondays. So we went to the Memphis Botanical Garden instead.


Here's a little eye candy for you, if the above picture wasn't enough:


After we got back to the car, exhausted and hot, we went on a little adventure and ate at a rather famous restaurant for dinner.

More tomorrow...

Pictures are coming

But my real life did find me. Who told????

We are busy here preparing for a foster placement that we will have here tomorrow. Just one this time. 5 years old.

I'll be back (said in my best Arnold voice)

Psssst.....I'm back......

But don't tell my real life, ok? Please? You promise?

Seth and I headed out of town the day after my recital. We went to Little Rock to visit grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. It was crazy, hectic, noisy, but also calm, refreshing, relaxing and peaceful all at the same time. We were gone a week and got back very late Saturday night. I have pictures - many, many pictures - coming soon. But only if my real life doesn't find me in the next 24 hours or so.

Y'all hush!!