Princess of Quite A Lot

Revolutionary Parenting

We are in a parenting focus group right now reading through the book, "Revolutionary Parenting" by George Barna.  I am loving every moment of it.  So much of what he says are things that I feel God has been putting on my heart.  As I was preparing for our group tonight I read something that opened my eyes.

"Revolutionary Parents' first priority is God.  Their second priority is their children.  Why?  Serving God by loving our neighbors-or, put another way, doing the work of God's kingdom-is the second part of the Great commandment.  And our children are the neighbors God has entrusted to us in a unique way.  Our neighbors across town and across the globe are important, but our children are our primary mission field.  Teaching them to know, love, and serve God is our greatest act of service to HIm."

I know God's great commandment.  I know that I am supposed to put God first and my husband and children second.  But I never thought of my children as my "neighbors".  I see so many people in church today putting all their attention on the people who live on their street, the next state over, or another country and forget about the "neighbors" who are living under their roof.  Our children are a gift from God and we ignoring the opportunity we have sitting right under our noses. 

Eat it!

Last week, I took Emma to feed the ducks after her two year check up.  Emma wanted the ducks to, "Eat It!" 

*Sorry about the noisy wind in the background.

Teamwork

Ainsley and Emma are the best of friends.  They get to spend two days a week together and are both getting too big.  Check them out singing together.

*Emma is normally in an outfit that matches.  This was filmed after a long, messy day at Disneyland.

Friendship

I am reading "Same Kind of Different As Me" by Ron Hall and Denver Moore for book club.  I am loving it!  I wanted to share with you a small taste that I read tonight.

Chapter 23 (typed exactly as book is written)
Bein a friend is a heavy commitment.  In a way, even more than a husband or wife.  And I was selfish.  I could take care a' myself, and I didn't need nobody else's baggage.  Besides that, friendship to me means more than just somebody to talk to, or run with, or hang with.

Bein freinds is like being soldiers in the army.  You live together; you fight together; you die together. 

That's how I feel about friendship but never knew how to put it in words.  My friends will never understand my feelings towards them.  I love them more than they will ever know.  I would go to the ends of the earth for them. 

A little about us

I found this on facebook and on my sister in laws blog.  Thought it would be fun.

What are your middle names?

Ann and Lee

How long have you been together?
We've been married for 14 and a half years

How long did you know each other before you started dating?
We went to the same church since 1986 but since Darrenn is a bit older than I am we didn't run in the same crowd.  That would have been really weird.

Who asked whom out?
He did

How old are each of you?
I'm 34, and he's almost 41

Whose sibling do you see the most?  mine

Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?
Not enough time

Did you go to the same school?
No

Are you from the same home town?
No

Who is smarter?
Darrenn

Who is the most sensitive?
Darrenn, most of the time

Where do you eat out most as a couple?
Wendys, Chik fil a, Islands, can you tell we have a little one.

Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
Florida

Who has the craziest exes?
Since some of Darrenn's exes are my friends I should probably say mine.

Who has the worst temper?
I am more in touch with my anger.  :)  Darrenn seems to hold his in a bit longer.

Who does the cooking?
Me, when I actually do it.  He is great at driving through.

Who is the neat-freak?
HIM!!!  He had his own set of cleaning products in his bedroom when he lived at his parents house. 

Who is more stubborn?
Me, I guess.  I am not looking very good in this little question/answer game.

Who hogs the bed?
HIM!  Finally, Mr. Perfect is falling from his thrown.  He even elbows me in his sleep.  I guess that's his way of getting back at me for my stubborness, messiness, stupidity, and lack of sensitivity.

Who wakes up earlier?
Darrenn when it's a work day.  Me on the the weekends.

Where was your first date?
Official first date was at Johnny Rockets in Huntington Beach, a movie, then rollerblading down the beach.

Who is more jealous?
Me.  I have issues.

How long did it take to get serious?

Not long.  I knew I would marry him before we started dating.

Who eats more?
Him, Yeah!

Who does the laundry?
We split it.

Who's better with the computer?
Probably Him.

Who drives when you are together?
Darrenn, even though his driving drives me crazy, I am too old fashioned.  It's a boys job to drive.

Words=Smile

There are some words that people say that make your heart skip a beat, cry, laugh...

One of the purposes of this blog was to put down in writing memories of Emma.  Here are some of the things she says that make me smile.

"Hold you"
"Hand"
"Papa"
"Mom", "Momma", "Mommy"
"Waffles"
"Elmo"
"Thank you"
"Here you go"
"Mickey Mouse"
"Disneyland"
"I Know You"
"Dylan"
"Daddy"
"Regan"

I could go on and on.  It's funny how you could be having a crummy day and this sweet little girl comes walking up to you with her hands up saying, "Hold you". 

Thank you God for giving us our hearts desire when you know that we will need it the most.

Pepe Le Pew

The Platt household was visited by a skunk that caused much havoc in our life.  Here's the play by play.

Friday
3:30    Arrive home with Dylan and Emma
          Smell a faint scent
          Lay Emma down for a nap

3:40    Dylan starts freaking out, gagging and coughing
           Smell is WAY WORSE!  Eyes start watering and its hard to breath

3:41    Run upstairs to grab Emma, grab the phone, and Diabetic Supplies

3:43    Kelly arrives to go to a boutique (postponed till later)
           Neighbors start coming out the houses, concerned over smell

3:45    Neighbors think it might be a gas leak.  Phone call to 911, then Darrenn.
          Neighbor turns off gas

3:50   Two fire trucks arrive.  One is sent home.  They think it's a skunk.  I'm mortified.

3:55   Darrenn gets home.  Emma is wandering the block in her socks.  Fireman/woman are confused. 
         They think it's gas, then electrical...Machines brought in, ladders needed. 

4:00   Fireman finds skunk trapped near our pool equipment.  Call Animal Control.  They leave.

4:15   Darrenn talks Jenny into going with Kelly to boutique

4:25  Jenny is back.  I guess she smells like skunk.  People at boutique spray perfume behind her as
         she wanders through house

4:25-11pm
        Pack up stuff to survive a weekend at my parents.  Animal Control lets skunk get away, GREAT! 
        Shower with vinegar.  Drop kids off at parents.  Go to staff Christmas Party.

Saturday
9-11    Research how to get the skunk smell out of our entire house

11-5    Scrub house with vinegar, wash backyard down, rent ozone generator, clean dog,
          place bowls of vinegar and coffee grounds in every room, plug ins installed, Febreeze sprayed

Bottom Line:  Due to holes in our walls the skunks spray entered our house every time the skunk sprayed.  We spent a little over $900 trying to get the smell out.  It was a long weekend but now we have another fun story to tell.

Catch Up!

It's been so long I forgot my typepad password.
Updates on the Platts:
2008 sucked
2009 is not as good as I hoped it would be
The holidays were fun, different but good
House sprayed by a skunk
Won a toilet on the radio
Saw the Rose Parade Floats, a dream come true
Had a PJ Party on New Years Eve
Darrenn might lose his position at school next year
Frustrated with relationships
Thankful for people that know me
Emma is 20 months old
Dylan is as tall as me
Spent too much on Christmas
Need a new garage door
The boys will be at Obama's Inauguration
Thankful for amazing Planet Rev Volunteers
Miss my Lori in Colorado
Hope to get to go to the mountains with my family this February

There you go.  One of my hopes for the new year is to keep up with things I actually like to do, like blogging.  We will see...

Four years ago today...

...I went to a different church
...I had a different job
...I emailed different people
...I didn't know what a blog or facebook was
...I had a son in elementary school
...I was PTA president
...I didn't know people who have made huge impacts on my life
...I put too much trust in people and not God alone
...the person I voted for won the election
...I was skinnier
...I worried about what others thought all day long

...I delivered a precious baby boy that never took a breath here on earth. 

As I look back over the last four years God has taken my life, turned it upside down, and shook it up.
I am grateful for that.  I am stronger and hold on tighter to God more than ever now. 
As I remember that day, I remember how my friends rallied around me.  I remember how a women who didn't even know me held out her hand because she knew what I was walking through.  I remember the nurses and my doctor giving me the time I needed while I held my baby. 

He is now in Jesus' arms.  One day I will get to hold him again. 
Until then I will cherish every moment He gives me with Dylan and Emma. 

Halloween Fun

Our first mini Bug A Boo was a success.  My goal for the evening was to create a place for our neighbors, family and friends to come and enjoy each other and enjoy fun activities.   I also hoped to meet some of our neighbors.  Before the evening even started some of our neighbors came over to thank me for providing a fun night for the neighborhood.  It made me even more excited for the night to begin.

People came and had fun!  I got to meet neighbors that I've waved to when I drive by.  I got reconnected to a girl I went to school with and she has 2 year old twins.  We hope to get them together to play.  My mission was accomplished. 

Dylan and Emma had a fun time too!  Dylan got to trick or treat with the middle schoolers.  Emma had fun decorating cookies and riding the train. 

I am already planning next years event.