How's Everybody?!

Have I waited long enough to drive all of my readers away? Have you all given up and gone home?

I think I'm back. I'm feeling very refreshed. I have lots to tell you about. (We have almost completed renovating Urban Blight! Wait till you see it!) Stuff I'm doing. (I'm teaching myself embroidery?! What is that all about?) I have some new prayer requests. Chowder is interviewing with a church back in Minnesota. (YAY! but we are both weirdly at peace with the whole thing. Whatever comes.) I want to throw my almost 16 year old son out the window. (wait a minute, that's not new.)

Things had slipped way out of hand, but I am now gaining back control. I'd say we have this fire probably about 80% contained. I lived quite happily in denial for a little bit there while things piled up on top of me. Mostly laundry and bills. We totally began to ignore our money, set some bad stuff into action, and tonight spent the evening talking about what happened and tomorrow we have a date with our budget...and a bottle of wine. Hell this might take 2 bottles of wine. Paper piles, floors (which I am only washing, I admit, because Ladybug is all over the freakin place. Feisty little monkey.) So, the 1st floor, the laundry, and meals are completely back on track. The 2nd floor still needs a good full day's worth of work. My bedroom is the Cakes Family Dump. no lie. I keep after the kids to keep their room picked up, and they walk into mine and scold me. And it's a well-deserved scolding. It all falls apart behind my bedroom door. I need to pick a day next week that Chowder can distract the children while take back the 2nd floor.

And you know the story...when your house starts to slip, your children's behavior is very quickly behind it. So, we are getting back on track there as well. Porkchop is my child to bear. He will make you lose your mind. Sweet as sweet could ever be, but with a wild streak I've have never seen the like of. Our main conversation right now....

Mom: Porkchop. Are you a wild animal? Do you use that brain God gave you? Because if you don't, you're the same as a wild animal. If you're going to behave like a wild animal, you'll have to go outside. I can't have wild animals in the house.

Porkchop: No, Mommy. I'm not a wild animal. I am a civilized little boy.

Mom: What do civilized little boys do?

Porkchop; When they think about doing something naughty, they tell their bodies, "NO! Don't be naughty."

Mom: mmmmm...and you can be this civilized little boy?

Porkchop: Yes, Mommy. Do you still love me mommy?

Mom: Good Heavens, Little Goofus, of course Mommy loves you. You can't make Mommy not love you. I just love you too strongly for that. But, I might have to hurt you if give it a try.


and finally my prayer request.
We have been blessed with getting reacquainted with some old friends of ours. This time has been such a wonderful thing. And we are so thankful for it. They have been coming up for two weeks at a time every two weeks. You prayer request is for the little boy in the hat. His name is Owen. He is four years old and is fighting lymphoma. At this point in time the chemo has completely zapped the tumor and he is being called "in remission." He still has another round of chemo to go in a couple of weeks. Please pray for complete healing. Please pray for his little brother George, who has to be shuffled around alot. Please pray for Chris and Heather. For strength and perseverence.