Facts That Until Now Were Unblogged

March 2 Was A Big Day For Landon. He turned 4, started Sunday School and shared a birthday party with 2 cousins who also share his birthday month. He even got a guitar that day.

Janae Hasn't Participated In Any Breaking News. At least for a few days now. And that in itself is worth commenting on. (Knocking really hard on wood right now...)

Alex Has His Own Room. Or, at least is the only one that sleeps in the living room. He gets a whole full corner to himself which is actually a big deal because our living room only really has 1 full corner. Best of all, he is sleeping so much better now... or should I just say that I am since I can't hear him everytime he cries or makes noise during the night.

Our Basement Will Soon Be Listed In The Guinness Book Of Records. Seriously, it has got to be the world's most challenging basement to waterproof. The Basement Professionals have been here going-on-three-times and it won't be until the middle of March before we know if the problem is fixed. I wouldn't be surprised if they just throw in the towel and give us our money back and advise us to just put a swimming pool down there.

Our Van Demanded A Replacement. If you are wondering why, I'll just say that it would take less time to tell you what was right/unbroke/safe about it than to tell you what was wrong/destroyed/damaged about it. The Lord blessed us with a perfect solution and we were glad to find just what we were looking for right away.

We Made Flubber. And I thought it was a good idea until I went out of the room to talk to Toby (I should've known better) and came back to find blue flubber all over the floor, the table, our bed, up and down and around Janae's pajamas and deep within the fibers of a few spots in the carpet. If you don't know what Flubber is, here's the recipe and a video. The kids spent *literally* hours playing with it.

Toby Is A Really Good Husband. But I bet you all knew that already? Even after 5 years of marriage, it still dawns on me during the few quiet spots in my day that I am married and live with a charming and good husband. I still can't believe it.

Last And Least I Have No Interesting News On Me. So, I guess that's all I have to say about that.

Being Real

I couldn't have said this better than my friend Hannah did...

I want my blog to be a place where I write what I’m passionate about - thoughts and people alike. What makes me laugh or cry, what grabs my soul and makes me think. A place where I share from real life, not just another collection of well-meaning spiritual rhetoric and lofty quotes of inspiration. Sometimes that can be hard to do. But I’m convinced that God’s touch is found in everything from answered prayers to eating ice cream, and much like a singer singing a song they don’t really care about, if it doesn’t mean anything to me, I certainly
can’t help it mean much to anyone else.

I love blogging. I love having a place to just be me. To say what I think without getting permission. To say what I believe. To focus on things that matter to me.

But, so often I tend to become effected by what's around me, what's screaming in my ear, what's staring me in the face that I forget the bigger picture. I forget what I am passionate about. I am so influenced by others that a comment or a conversation or a concern of theirs can produce the very actions I wish to eliminate altogether. In the end, it is not me behind my face and I hate that.

Sometimes I feel like I should shake your hand and say, Hi, my name is Courtney, you really don't know me and I'm ready to stop pretending that you do. But, I can't. That would not be appropriate. You would learn too much. You would be uncomfortable.

I am convinced that we would rather know people the way we think we know them then actually get to know them for real, sometimes. We like to feel comfortable in our assessments of folks and it can be disturbing to consider that perhaps, there is something a little deeper that the outside does not show.

Life is real for everyone of us. But many of us don't admit that in honesty. Yeah, we can say, "life is real" but to actually explain in clear facts what life means to us, we often hide those secrets.

Why? Because we are safer. Privacy, secrecy, it all keeps us feeling safe. And that's fine. There is no reason to blow your cover if you are comfortable with it. But beware of a facade. Facades do not stand the test of time. My real and your real can be shrouded by a cloud of misconceptions; you let me see your life in the light that I live mine and I let you see my life in the light of how you live yours. That is not real life though and I'm beginning to think that it's better to know the truth soon rather than late.

...if it doesn’t mean anything to me, I certainly can’t help it mean much to anyone else. That's what I love about blogging. You don't have to say it if you don't believe it. You don't have to make it mean anything to somebody else unless it truly means the world to you. And if it isn't you, if you aren't passionate about something, don't make it look like you.

Psalm 51:6

"Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom."

A Well Put Poem On Transplants

I am Green

By Unknown

I grew up in Blue Country

My Parents grew up in Yellow Country.

They tell me I am Yellow

And sometimes we go and visit Yellow Country.

When I am in Yellow Country

I go to school with the Yellow kids.

I dress like the Yellow kids

And I talk like the Yellow kids.

But when I am in Blue Country

I go to school with the Blue kids

I dress like the Blue kids

And I talk like the Blue kids

Sometimes when I am in Yellow Country

I really miss the Blue ways

I guess that the things I do and say,

Are really rather Bluish in color

In the same way, when I am in Blue Country

There are things I miss about Yellow Country

And I am sure the things I do and say

Appear rather Yellowish in color.

All this changing around is so confusing

Blue or Yellow? Who am I really?

I wonder if there is a place where I could just be me

Where the Blue and Yellow could both run free

Sometimes when I am flying

between the two places

I want to stay up there

in the middle of all the races

If only I could stop some place in between

If only I could just be GREEN!