Lola-isms

So, I do realize that not everyone will find the things that Lola says funny.....so if you don't just pass on through because that is what this post is about. She makes me laugh and I love her for that. 

She has a teddy bear with a cast on it's leg that her Aunt Jenn gave her when she broke her foot earlier this year. She came up to me today carrying it and asked, "Was I a talking baby when I got this bear?" Simply, put she couldn't remember when she got it and needed to be reminded, "Yes you were a talking baby, you got it when you broke your foot." "Oh, Yeah" is all she says and moves on. 

Jeff always tells her that she was in God's pocket when we got married (she doesn't quite fully understand marriage yet, except that she has been in a wedding and is going to be in another in September). Today, she asked me, "Mom, how did I fit in God's pocket?" Of course, Jeff is out of town for this one and he is the one that made up the pocket thing in the first place. I just laughed and thankfully something else caught her attention. 

She also asked if she could look in my mouth like the doctor does to her, so I obliged. She says, "Mom, I see your bumper." Huh, what in the world is a bumper? And then it hits me, she means Uvula (medical term for the thing that hangs down in the back of your throat, just sounds gross typing it). Anywho, I looked up the medical term, so not to confuse anyone. :)

And last but not least, I bought her a pack of nerds (ok, so I bought them for me, but had to share). We get to the car and she asks if she can have one of the treats we bought. "What are those called mom?" I replied "Nerds". She then has this disgusted look on her face and says, "No they are not Mom that is disgusting." So clearly she has gotten confused and replaced the "N" with "T", both words we do not say in our home as we have no need. I try not to laugh because I now realize she thinks I have called them "Terds" and is reluctant to eat them. Bahaha!! 

She also said to me today, "Mom I ask too many questions, don't I?" I want to say "Yes", but don't as I never want her to stop being inquisitive or to think that any question is stupid. 

Thank you Aunts for teaching her "Girls Rule"
(along with her own personal gang sign)

Rain is so much fun

"Splish Splash"

Needless to say, we really don't have a dull moment in our house. And, we cannot make stuff up as she is so smart that she will call you out or ask you way more questions than you thought imaginable for a 3 year old. It is her best quality and at times pushing me to my patience limit for the day. But she sure is cute!!

Out of the mouths of babes or LOLA

Today is my brothers birthday and Lola wanted to send him a "Happy Birthday" message on video. So, she sang Happy Birthday and then I asked if she wanted to say anything else. This is what she chose to say, "I love my aunts". Bahaha....scratch that video and make a new one. She says the strangest things at the strangest times and all with a straight face.  (Note: video clip is unedited...just fair warning)

Then, yesterday we told her we were going to drop daddy off at the airport so he can go to work in St. Louis (not an unusual occurrence) and then he would drive back to Florida with grandma. Lola's response, "Your bringing Papa too right." Jeff explained that Papa had to stay to watch their dogs and work. Who forgot to check with Lola on this situation? Her response, "Oh, well call Aunt Anna, she can watch their dogs and then you can bring Papa too." She has a solution for everything.

And last story for the day as she is waking up from a nap and I won't have much time left to myself. She asked if I would play "house" with her yesterday and I was dubbed the "grandma". She had all of these stuffed animals (some of which she explained to me were pets and others were people..LOL). I don't know who the mom was, but she kept talking to the mom. "Mom can you watch Mia", "Mom can we go to the store", etc. all while she was looking at me. So, as not to ignore her, I would respond. And she would quickly correct me saying, "Mom your the grandma, not the mom" "Mom, I'm not talking to you", etc. What kind of game was this (how can I confuse my real mom). I failed miserably...finally she told me I didn't need to play anymore. I literally laughed out loud at the fact that I screwed up miserably while playing "house".

No need to clean up

WARNING: This may offend religious people, NO I did not say Christians! If you do not understand my warning, then you may want to continue reading, as it might give you some insight....LOL! This is my second attempt at writing this post.....hopefully it comes across as intended, loving and in no way at all condemning or harsh. (Also, these types of posts will not be often, it was just on my heart. My intent is for this blog to be light hearted and about our family)

God keeps placing the same message in my path the past few months....and I know it is because He wants to make sure I never forget and that I share it with others. So, here goes my attempt at sharing.  I have gone to church my entire life, so 30 years (don't like the sound of that number). This is not to say that I am perfect or even come close to following the "straight and narrow" path. On the contrary, I have had my share of mistakes, failures and "put on your big girl panties and move on" moments. After getting divorced (yes I was divorced at 19), losing all of my friends (they went to my church, gasp, I know can you believe it..lol), being shunned by "Christians" and "Churches"(again religious, not Christ-like), searching in all of the wrong places to fill that emptiness, then marrying my wonderful husband, having a beautiful daughter and at last attending a church (Faith Church St. Louis) that a friend recommended (that I was REALLY nervous to try due to stupid "Christian" rumors, gasp again), I have come to realize God showed me through those experiences that He loves me. Yes, he loves ME - with all of my past failures, sin, guilt, shame, pain, loneliness, anger, everything! It was an epiphany for me, especially after being in church most of my life and then after one year of marriage, getting DIVORCED! 


It is interesting to me how "Christians" who have always been in church (which by the way, attending church doesn't make you a Christian), can categorize sin and have this false idea that the world's sin is different than their sin (don't worry, I know because I have been there, ha). Therefore if you have committed "those kind of sins" then you can't possibly be a Christian, nor serve in the church, in fact just you being at the church might cause a problem....HUH, WHAT, REALLY??!! Well, I started attending a church that didn't forget to read the Bible (our guide) and was I ever thankful that somebody was listening to God for the message, following our ultimate example Jesus Christ and pleading that, "You do NOT need to clean up to come to church, just come and let GOD take care of the rest."

Thank you Pastor David and Nicole Crank for being the most real Christians I have witnessed from a stage. Once again I could attend church, as a Christian and not feel ashamed, judged, unforgiven and empty. I had already asked God for forgiveness, BUT geez some "Christians and churches" go by a different playbook - getting them to truly forgive is like nails on a chalkboard. And for Pete's sake, where did all my "Christian" friends go when I was struggling. Jesus didn't leave people when they were hurting and confused, no instead he went to those people and drew them in.

I attended a Beth Moore simulcast this past weekend and she spoke on a woman who attended church but was addicted to pornography for fourteen years, but is now set free. (I know the religious people will be nervous that I typed the "P" word on my blog...LOL). Remember we are all sinners saved by grace and praise God that HE delivered her, she didn't and couldn't do it on her own. Then I sat with a friend this afternoon who shared a story about someone being ashamed of their past (my friend shared her story,which isn't "picture perfect" either, back with that person) and I know without a shadow of a doubt that God used their "junk" to show His love for them and His grace. My homework in my Women's Bible study is titled "Breaking Free from the Past" and how Jesus Christ came to set you free ( Oh, wait a minute the "church" won't set you free?) NO, He came to set us free from the power and consequences of sin. God has made everything new, not the "church", not you, not your pastor, nope - GOD!!! 

So, in the past few weeks God has brought about this same message in many different ways. As well as opening my heart to the fact that He is giving me an overwhelming desire to share and live out this truth, in my life, at my church and with those around me. The simple truth that Jesus loves us (all of us, including the homeless man on the corner, the man who sits awaiting trial for murder, a pastor, business owners, republicans and democrats, uneducated, wealthy - EVERYONE - regardless of skin color, economic level, age, gender, happy, hurting, married, divorced), He loves us all and He wants to take care of us, He wants us to share this love with others and not condemn them or preach at them, but to share God's love and forgiveness. Let's get this straight, Christians have no power to forgive sins or give life, God is the only one who makes all things new, forgives our sins and gives life eternal. People are hard enough on themselves, they don't need Christians or the church to make them feel any worse. Our responsibility is to tell them they do not need to be ashamed, afraid or distraught because we have a place for them to find rest, forgiveness, peace and hope.

Just in case you scrolled to the bottom and didn't read (I know some will): Jesus loves us as we are, He wants you to know that you can come as you are and He will take care of cleaning you up. You DO NOT have to clean up to come to church, come and He will take care of the clean up. Jesus loves you!!!

Oh and if you are looking for a church in Florida where you will find REAL LOVE. REAL PEOPLE. REAL LIFE. Then come check out DC3 (new website coming soon).

As I am finishing this post, my email dings and this is the daily devotional in my inbox.
Churches should be No-Shame Zones Couldn't have said it better!!!

Sometimes it's better to laugh

Lola came to me today so excited, "Mom come see what I made." Sounded innocent enough, BUT as Lola's mom I know that my child is very creative and independent. She has also been in the playroom/ craft room quietly for quite some time, which is my fault. So, she grabs my hand drags me in the room and says, "Look I glued papers together." Oh my, yes you did with an ENTIRE bottle of brand new never opened glue. The dilemma is whether I praise her for the wonderful picture she made that is never ever going to dry or discipline her for not asking before she decided to get into this sticky mess. Well, the whole situation caught me off guard and as I am trying to explain why she shouldn't get into it without asking, a giggle starts coming out and there is no way out of laughing out loud. 

She realized on her own that she had made a mistake. Thank you God for showing me that sometimes discipline can come out on its own and I do not always have to be scolding my child for creativity. At least she was using her brain and not "glued" to the tv screen. Sorry I had to!!

Ships Ahoy!

Finally this blog is started...whew!! Due to my perfectionism, I was attempting to master the design of my blog (what a waste of time). After some wise words from a friend, just get started! Wise words indeed....used a free background, tweeked the header a bit (part of my perfectionism, just couldn't handle a "regular" font), and now on to capturing my thoughts.

This will definitely be a hurricane in the beginning, hopefully wind down to a tropical storm and then simmer to a normal day at the beach. My brain doesn't quit even to sleep and on top of that it goes in every direction possible.

So, here's to an inside look at our family and my thoughts! Enjoy the journey and hold on tight, this could get bumpy :)

P.S. Yes, I have edited this ridiculous post THREE times for typos and punctuation!