tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51293157845957759692024-03-05T03:23:23.908-05:00Sitting In The Waiting RoomYet the Lord still waits for you to come to him so he can show you his love; he will conquer you to bless you, just as he said. For the Lord is faithful to his promises. Blessed are all those who wait for him to help them.
Isaiah 30:18 (Living)Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995697503647216357noreply@blogger.comBlogger147125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129315784595775969.post-55548733904271014812009-07-15T22:35:00.006-04:002009-07-22T08:41:48.407-04:00New BlogI have a very special announcement to make. I am really excited about this. I have started a new blog. I've been wanting to do this for a really long time now. I've been really bored with my current blog AND I've been wanting to switch over from Blogger to WordPress. In with the old and out with the new, as they say! In other words, Bye bye, Blogger and Hello, WordPress!<br /><br />I haven't decided what I'll be doing with this blog. If I'll be saving it or deleting it or revamping it. But for now, I'll be doing most of my writing at the new WordPress blog.<br /><br />So without further adieu...Come on over to <a href="http://www.angelabuckland.wordpress.com/">angelabuckland.wordpress</a>. Check it out and let me know what you think!Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995697503647216357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129315784595775969.post-82299391689518405782009-06-07T23:59:00.003-04:002009-06-08T00:16:28.254-04:00Big Weekend<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGBtn3gUl88lSqq7p-pou7-eLYtBWUsr-dbMOU3Zfus7FxqK1rrIBX3Qdb6JGHafbNY31k-klg_eVqFOjQuWIa_I3bn8ihh-4ZemvYCuN2oCcy2Tk6yb8hGy8Sp75-eVwDm74Pju9l9hnb/s1600-h/IMG_2106.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGBtn3gUl88lSqq7p-pou7-eLYtBWUsr-dbMOU3Zfus7FxqK1rrIBX3Qdb6JGHafbNY31k-klg_eVqFOjQuWIa_I3bn8ihh-4ZemvYCuN2oCcy2Tk6yb8hGy8Sp75-eVwDm74Pju9l9hnb/s320/IMG_2106.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344805448914382594" border="0" /></a><br />Well, it's Sunday night, literally one minute before midnight, and we are capping off one heck of a weekend. First, my oldest baby, Isabel, graduated from Kindergarten on Friday, and I am now the proud mother of a first grader! Second, my baby sister, Gina, graduated Valedictorian of Apalachee High School on Friday night. That was so incredible. The whole evening was so amazing. Her speech was wonderful. God even held back the rain (it was held outside), and gave us a rainbow during the ceremony. <a href="http://www.renbuckland.com/">Ren</a> made the comment that it was the nicest graduation ceremony he's ever attended. And last but definitely not least, <a href="http://sittinginthewaitingroom.blogspot.com/2008/06/abigail-jean.html">Abigail</a> turned one on Saturday. I can't even believe it. I am beginning to feel very old all of a sudden.<br /><br />School's out for summer, although Isabel only gets 8 weeks of summer. That's just not right. So we've got to get busy and have some fun before it ends all too soon.<br /><br />Time goes by too fast.Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995697503647216357noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129315784595775969.post-60450666600850547072009-06-02T08:22:00.003-04:002009-06-02T08:27:07.167-04:00Yeah, what she saidAfter reading <a href="http://adventuresinmercy.wordpress.com/2009/06/01/the-way-of-love/">this</a>, I am left asking myself, "Why the hell couldn't I have written that???" I've been following Molly's blog over at "Adventures in Mercy" for a while now, and she's very quickly becoming one of my favorite writers. I feel like we're on parallel journeys, so her posts always resonate very deeply with me. I hope her poignant words speak to you as much as they did to me. <br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Blessings to you on this beautiful day!</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">May you find Love guiding you and keeping you in all you do.</span>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995697503647216357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129315784595775969.post-55835061216901158182009-05-28T09:53:00.005-04:002009-05-28T12:39:41.200-04:00TodayI woke up this morning with the thought of being involved in every moment of today. I haven't gotten dressed yet. Or made my bed. Or brushed my teeth. So, by all measurable American standards, I'm failing miserably so far. But I'm pretty sure it was a noble thought nonetheless. I'm beginning to think that this is the key to just about everything, and this is the way God wants us to live our lives, every minute of every day; and, thus, why it's so darn difficult to do. I've yet to figure out exactly how to do that and what that's supposed to look like in my every day life. But I think I'm onto something, and when I figure out all those details, I'll let you know what I find out.<br /><br />Now, usually when you hear someone talking about this kind of stuff, it's in some context of getting you to be more productive. Perform better. Do more stuff. Contribute more. It can come across as some kind of heavy handed manipulation tactic.<br /><br />I'm not talking about any of that.<br /><br />No, what I'm speaking of is so much simpler. Almost, too simple. So simple that we might just miss it if we're not careful.<br /><br />What I am talking about is being more attentive to those around you, whom God has given you. To whom you've been given. Staying connected. Tuned in. Living in the moment. Listening to the people who are talking to you. Looking them in the eye. Not daydreaming about where you'd rather be or what you'd rather be doing, but being connected with where you are and appreciating it. Appreciating them.<br /><br />The God of the Bible is known as the Great I Am; not I Was or I Will Be. But I Am. I Is. I Be. Today. Here. Now. I guess this is why people with terminal illnesses often obtain such a clear, razor sharp perspective. They know their time is limited. Time is not a someday or one day, because someday and one day are not promised to them. What they know for certain is that today belongs to them. Today is what they have. And I think that this is where God lives.<br /><br />Today. I will hear God's voice and not harden my heart.<br /><br />Today. The day God has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.<br /><br />Be. Live. Breath. Connect. Laugh. Love.<br /><br />Now, I'm gonna go brush my teeth.<br /><br /><blockquote>...So I think it must be true - that when you pray, you are not starting the conversation from scratch, just remembering to plug back into a conversation that's always in progress.--Anne Lamott, <span style="font-style: italic;">Plan B</span><br /></blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">What are some of the things you do to help yourself stay connected? Tuned in? Please share.</span>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995697503647216357noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129315784595775969.post-7922100059770331842009-05-20T08:32:00.013-04:002009-05-21T07:49:10.884-04:00In Summary...My prolonged break from blogging was purely unintentional. There's been so much going on, blogging has honestly been the last thing on my mind.<ul><li>With that said, I have really missed it, and I think I may be ready to pick it back up again.</li><li>My apologies to the two readers who have been eagerly anticipating my return! I promise I will make it worth the wait.</li><li>I've picked up a new hobby. I think it's fair to say that I'm now addicted. I'm even proselytizing to others. Want to know what it is? I swore I would never become one of <a href="http://www.couponmom.com/">these ladies</a>. Oh, sweet irony.</li><li>I honestly have no idea where I am at spiritually. This is, hands down, the <span style="font-weight: bold;">CRAZIEST SEASON</span> I've ever lived through, in my <span style="font-weight: bold;">ENTIRE LIFE</span>. No exaggeration here. I really can't even put into words what I'm going through. <span style="font-weight: bold;">EVERYTHING</span> that I've been so certain about is now a great big ol' question mark. I have yet to determine whether or not that's a good thing. Time will be the tell.</li><li><span class="body">As the most bodacious philos-o-phizer of ancient Greece once said, "As for me, all I know is that I know nothing."</span></li></ul><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbdXaEbvCCzeJV52tQGc-Sjw95RV-SRjVpgPppdd075mK9lHz3iMkasovYjJGbpra21Fw3AxiFYW9YKWcX-Ha8BpyR9AvPuTjqImq-t2a4T63OgJs9ISlmpSwbomdXnWYKDGPMYxpl9mM8/s1600-h/IMG_2026.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbdXaEbvCCzeJV52tQGc-Sjw95RV-SRjVpgPppdd075mK9lHz3iMkasovYjJGbpra21Fw3AxiFYW9YKWcX-Ha8BpyR9AvPuTjqImq-t2a4T63OgJs9ISlmpSwbomdXnWYKDGPMYxpl9mM8/s320/IMG_2026.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338242849843381250" border="0" /></a><ul><li>After 10 months, we FINALLY got tired of Abigail sharing our room. She now has the girls' former room, all to herself. It's been so nice to be able to talk to my husband at night as we're going to sleep, use the bathroom, breath, or turn on a light if we need to do something very optional and nonessential, you know, such as, <span style="font-weight: bold;">SEE</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">WHERE WE'RE GOING</span>! Needless to say, Ren and I are very happy with the current dispensation of Buckland children.</li></ul><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBeu2tEt3nyJpEgExg9cJ8w7IHeaOZuGHObTSYA9Zx0SZweKl1W_LnCd-WcZVBQADVAy4GiMlOCMxX39t08Qrxgokjw1MBr_B2M4OnjrL0xx0fmXcsfGlw22eOrA-4FUNi0dMgauPkdvFW/s1600-h/IMG_2024.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBeu2tEt3nyJpEgExg9cJ8w7IHeaOZuGHObTSYA9Zx0SZweKl1W_LnCd-WcZVBQADVAy4GiMlOCMxX39t08Qrxgokjw1MBr_B2M4OnjrL0xx0fmXcsfGlw22eOrA-4FUNi0dMgauPkdvFW/s320/IMG_2024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338242582443246162" border="0" /></a><br /><ul><li>We transformed our chaotic hodgepodge of a playroom upstairs into the girls' new bedroom. I'm really happy with the way it turned out. We chose the girls' two favorite colors: Isabel's is red; Jo's is pink. It's kind of Valentines-y. It basically looks like we hired Cupid as our interior decorator. It's crazy, but very cute, I think. And the girls absolutely love it. They even have their own bathroom now. It's not completely done yet. It still needs a few finishing touches. But we're very happy with the way it's coming together.<br /></li><li>After getting our <a href="http://sittinginthewaitingroom.blogspot.com/2009/02/seventeen-thank-you-notes.html">sweet couch</a> and fixing up the kids' rooms, I currently don't despise my house. Huh. Who woulda thought?<br /></li><li>I am so proud of my husband. He's moving and shaking over at <a href="http://www.cntdtech.com/">Connected Technologies</a>. He's been busy. But in this economic climate, busy is good. We are very thankful for him. He's a hard worker.</li><li>Since January, we've dealt with our share of common illnesses, vomitting, <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/molluscum/faq/everyone.htm">molluscum</a>, and head lice. It's only May, people. The lesson we've learned through all this: Kids are nasty.<br /></li><li>Isabel finishes Kindergarten in less than 3 weeks. I cannot believe how fast this year has gone by!</li><li>We are thrilled that Jo will be going to the same Pre-K this Fall that Isabel was able to attend. We are all so excited about this. This is a total miracle, thanks to God's grace and provision, and two very sweet and generous grandparents! It's a blessing that we didn't even expect or ask for.</li><li>My baby sister, Gina, is graduating in two weeks as VALEDICTORIAN of Apalachee High School!!!! We are all so proud of her. She totally rocks. </li><li>Abigail turns one on June 6. Are you even kidding me?!?!</li><li>One thing I do know for certain - Our friends and family are some of the most amazing people in the whole world. Hopefully one day we'll actually be able to appropriately express how much we love and appreciate all of them.<br /></li><li>I really love my family and friends. The ones nearby and far away. Every single, last, crazy, gloriously odd one of them.<br /></li></ul>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995697503647216357noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129315784595775969.post-85840218552155852132009-02-23T11:34:00.004-05:002009-02-23T11:39:57.829-05:00Funny<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaOtgviMcEq6eheYP2u9IGxZWX32peE6yKt1t3ZH6GNm-EBLik8wF3w1FoQoB21vPdDyFc9ct9eaaMaktO_jwExR7BM06Ixje4WNEAhrQXgoVByN0iaKrkdSrRQgR07DTUnbMChtlqr8o3/s1600-h/Dreams.bmp"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 373px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaOtgviMcEq6eheYP2u9IGxZWX32peE6yKt1t3ZH6GNm-EBLik8wF3w1FoQoB21vPdDyFc9ct9eaaMaktO_jwExR7BM06Ixje4WNEAhrQXgoVByN0iaKrkdSrRQgR07DTUnbMChtlqr8o3/s400/Dreams.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306033188896537106" border="0" /></a><br />My husband emailed me this today. It made me laugh really hard.Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995697503647216357noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129315784595775969.post-8186901805146326312009-02-18T10:44:00.009-05:002009-02-18T13:55:17.173-05:00Seventeen Thank You NotesIt all started with <a href="http://sittinginthewaitingroom.blogspot.com/2007/07/bane-of-my-existence.html">this</a>.<br /><br />Go ahead and read it if you haven't already. I'll wait.<br /><br />That post was important to me, because it was the first time I realized that I could actually diffuse my anger and hatred for something, even something as inconsequential as a piece of furniture, albeit momentarily, by writing a simple blog post. Afterward, I felt much better.<br /><br />Like a healing had taken place.<br /><br />So, it really began as an experiment in creative writing as therapy.<br /><br />And what do you know? It worked.<br /><br />Boy, howdy, did it work.<br /><br />Well, a little over a year later, on a lark and a whim, I posted <a href="http://sittinginthewaitingroom.blogspot.com/2008/09/happiness-is-warm-couch.html">this</a>. That directed you to <a href="http://www.havertys.com/Product_11046?curIndex=1&resultCount=24#wheretoseeit">this</a>. You really do need to click on that link to see it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT CURRENTLY SITS IN OUR LIVING ROOM!!!</span> (In a soft, lovely, warm cappuccino hue.)<br /><br />Although, you're probably not surprised, because you're probably one of the <span style="font-weight: bold;">seventeen</span> families/people represented who donated to the Buckland Family Couch Ministry.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Thank you" doesn't even begin to appropriately express how we feel about this couch.</span><br /><br />You should also read all 63 glowing reviews that this couch has received on Haverty's website to see that I am not exaggerating my deep and profound love for this couch. I <span style="font-weight: bold;">LOVE</span> this couch. It's <span style="font-weight: bold;">perfect</span>. It is truly the most wonderful, beautiful, comfortable, stylish, amazing couch I have ever seen or had the privilege of sitting on, let alone owning. It's the most grown-up, adult-looking piece of of furniture we currently own. It totally transforms our living room; it no longer looks like the dwelling place of a college student...or multiple toddlers. And not only is it remarkably stylish, it's comfy, too. In fact, Ren and I both fall into a deep, non-waking comas any time we lie down on the thing.<br /><br />The funny thing about all this is that I had actually made peace with my current couch set-up. After I'd been whining to God a little while about desperately NEEDING a new couch, I felt like He'd given me an idea. We threw, literally threw, the split-wide-open section of the our old couch downstairs, and replaced it with a semi-stylish futon which had been sitting upstairs and was hardly being used. Somewhere down in the depths and recesses of my personality, I had gotten in touch with my Inner Thrifter. I restuffed the back cushions with the stuffing from the unused sections, so while it was incredibly lumpy and uncomfortable to sit on, hey, at least it looked better!<br /><br />In all seriousness, what you don't know is that just the day before the couch arrived, I was crying out to God asking Him if He'd forgotten about us. I have been growing weary, feeling like my faith was on its last scrawny, little legs. I asked God for something big, something tangible, something I could see, to give me hope. God has been taking care of our needs. All our basic necessities are provided for, but there's very little at the end of the month with which to actually go out and enjoy. Something always has to get cut. We have food, clothing, and shelter, but the clothes are several years old, sometimes have holes, and the food is, at times, only slightly more than beans and rice.<br /><br />There are days when I can push through all that, paste on a smile, pull myself up by the bootstraps, do all things through Christ who strengthens me, keep fighting the good fight, keep on keepin' on, or whatever positive thinking mantra one tells themselves to keep from going crazy.<br /><br />Then there are days when you can see no end in sight. That's when it's almost too much to bear.<br /><br />And that's when God sends angels in the form of family and friends to lift our loads, making the burdens seem not quite so unbelievably heavy. And the road not quite so lonely.<br /><br />I want to share something with you that I wrote in July of last year, not to depress you, but, hopefully, to let you in on how long we've been struggling and what that's actually been like for me:<br /><br /><blockquote>Father, will You, out of Your abundant resources, please provide us with a new couch? I would like a new couch and a new love seat. Or a new sectional. I'd take either option. Father, Your word says that You own the cattle on a thousand hills. Father, I don't own any cattle. All I'm asking for right now is a new couch. Will you please provide us with a new couch? Our current couch is literally falling apart. Every time I look at it, I want to cry.<br /><br />Father, do You love us? Do You care about our wants? I know that You have given us all that we need. We have enough. But, God, what about our wants? Do you care for, provide for those as well? Father, I feel like I've been doing without quite a bit lately. More than I am used to, frankly. I guess I'm still rich compared to the majority of the world.<br /><br />Father, am I supposed to boldly ask You for things? Or am I supposed to be content with what I have? Why do I feel so guilty for asking You for a couch? You can do that, can't You? Will you?<br /><br />Father, my heart is growing bitter. I don't trust in Your goodness, mercy, or love right now. A decent father gives his children some nice gifts if he can afford them. Certainly you can.</blockquote>Certainly He can. And certainly, He has. And certainly, He will.<br /><br />I know it's just a couch. But to me, it's a symbol that God not only cares about our needs, but also our wants. Things you might be to embarrassed or feel to silly to say out loud. I have to believe that the God who created the universe, who created us, wants us to <span style="font-weight: bold;">enjoy</span> this life,and not just merely survive it or endure it.<br /><br />Thank you, sweet friends and family, from the bottom of my heart, for reminding me.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><blockquote></blockquote><blockquote></blockquote>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995697503647216357noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129315784595775969.post-84821620733365346552009-02-14T10:16:00.002-05:002009-02-14T10:19:08.271-05:00Grace<blockquote>It is unearned love--the love that goes before, that greets us on the way. It is the help you recieve when you have no bright ideas left, when you are empty and desperate and have discovered that your best thinking and most charming charm have failed you. Grace is the light or electricity or juice or breeze that takes you from that isolated place and puts you with others who are as startled and embarrassed and eventually grateful as you are to be there.--Anne Lamott, <span style="font-style: italic;">Traveling Mercies</span><br /></blockquote>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995697503647216357noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129315784595775969.post-33168996145378598012009-02-03T21:27:00.003-05:002009-02-09T21:01:53.914-05:00An Ode to MayonnaiseIt seems that this world is divided into two types of people: Those that eschew mayonnaise and those that can consume mass quantities of it single meals. There is no in-between. Either mayonnaise totally creeps you out, or it is one of your dearest, time-tested culinary companions. I find myself in the latter group. I love mayonnaise. So...there. It's out. I've said it.<br /><br />I feel so much <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">better</span> now.<br /><br />I have always been somewhat embarrassed by my passion for the stuff. It's definitely not the most glamorous, or um, <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">health-conscious</span> thing to eat. And it's impossible to look sophisticated whilst eating something gobbed with the white, greasy goo. When fellow mayonnaise junkies discover one another, there's an instant bond. An unspoken camaraderie. Together, we share in the fellowship of our mayonnaise-y sufferings. We've heard the comments. The jeers. Seen the peculiar looks as we smother our various food items with the thick, white, gooey condiment. I believe that mayonnaise lovers are really rebels at heart. We go on and eat our mayonnaise-laden victuals, raising our greasy fists in the air shouting, "To heck with my arteries!" And we stick together.<br /><br />I remember one such instantaneous bond occurring a few years ago, when the mom's group I was a member of ventured out for a play date and lunch at the mall. We sat down to eat our Chick-Fil-A, and I found myself sitting across from a <a href="http://www.ethanlowe.com/">young mother</a> and relatively new member of our church. As we pulled out our respective value meals and readied them for consumption, our eyes fell on each others' piles of mayonnaise adjacent to our waffle fries. We looked at our food. We looked at each other. And a profound mutual respect was earned that day.<br /><br />If you've never tried mayo on your waffle fries, before you scoff, I double dog dare you to give it a try. No, I triple dog dare you. I don't find the obsessive compulsion to do this to any other pile of fries EXCEPT waffle fries. There's just something about the way the pockets (or holes) trap the extra mayo, making it extra mayo-licious. I've been ridiculed mercilessly for my waffle fry habit, even by so-called "friends" and family. People that simply do not understand the finer things in life. People with, I'm just going to go ahead and say it, underdeveloped and immature pallets.<br /><br />I guess I feel this strongly about all condiments. My philosophy is, Why bother eating something if you can't smother it with something, rendering it completely unrecognizable??? To me, the food is just a medium for the sauce. I've been known to pour copious amounts of mayonnaise and other various sauces on my food at what <a href="http://www.renbuckland.com/">some</a> would deem "inconvenient" or "inappropriate" times. Whilst traveling at high velocities. Whilst wearing evening wear, etc.<br /><br />I've been a mayonnaise fan ever since I was a kid. I used to eat mayonnaise sandwiches. It's not rocket science. There's no guess work. It's two pieces of bread with, you guessed it, nothing but mayonnaise. Oh sure, you can throw on a tomato or two if you want to get all gourmet-like. But for me, there was nothing finer, or simpler than a mayonnaise sandwich. Go ahead and make one. You know you want to. Any brand of mayo will do in pinch. And believe me, I've tried them all. But Hellmann's is the best, by far. There really is no substitute.<br /><br />Not only am I a fan of mayonnaise itself, but I love all mayonnaise-based things. Potato salad. Chicken salad. Egg salad. Tuna salad. Dips made with mayonnaise. And a sandwich just isn't complete without a dollop (or two...or three...or four) of mayonnaise. And I recently stumbled across <a href="http://www.baconnaise.com/">this ingenious invention</a>. <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Are you even kidding me???</span> That's like combining Heaven with even more Heaven. Double Heaven. In a jar, no less. I might never leave the house.<br /><br />So, tell me. Are you a mayo <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">slut</span> or a mayo <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">prude</span>? Go on. Hit me with it.Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995697503647216357noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129315784595775969.post-72159579167153872062009-01-27T15:37:00.004-05:002009-01-27T15:55:38.318-05:00Move Over, Jon & KateThe world welcomed it's second set of longest living octuplets on Monday. <a href="http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/jon-and-kate/jon-and-kate.html">Jon and Kate Plus 8</a> just got a whole lot less impressive and/or interesting with that little piece of <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090127/ap_on_re_us/calif_octuplets">news</a>. I wonder how long TLC will give this poor woman before they're knocking on her door. Please pray her, especially as she's planning on breastfeeding all 8 of them!!! She's either extremely talented and dedicated, a glutton for punishment, or utterly delusional. And that, in a nutshell, is motherhood, my friends. Huzzah!Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995697503647216357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129315784595775969.post-49680345113798180182009-01-23T14:50:00.001-05:002009-01-23T14:50:19.472-05:00A Little Something For the Guys<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><object height='350' width='425'><param value='http://youtube.com/v/JUdWApwbudQ' name='movie'/><embed height='350' width='425' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' src='http://youtube.com/v/JUdWApwbudQ'/></object></p><p>I saw this on a friend's Facebook page today. It was completely brilliant, hilarious, and worthy of stealing.</p></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995697503647216357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129315784595775969.post-34692224604165165562009-01-08T15:01:00.004-05:002009-01-08T15:27:38.041-05:00To The Waffle King, Master of All Things Electric, & Mouse Catcher ExtraordinaireIt's a long title. It could be longer if I included everything else that <a href="http://www.renbuckland.com">Ren Buckland</a> was good at. How else can you describe him? He's a man of many talents. I've been married to him for almost ten years now, and I am still finding out things about him that I never knew before. I am constantly learning of his many hidden talents that I didn't even know existed. I swear he's lived about 1000 lives. Just being around him makes me feel like a wiser person.<br /><br />He is the self-proclaimed "Waffle King," and he does make some mean waffles. My once broken oven, that got me out of doing any cooking during the holidays, is now fixed--because of Ren. And just the other night, a furry woodland creature decided to come into our home, uninvited, and give us all good scare. Ren, our hero, captured it and returned it back into the Winder wilderness, albeit much to the kids' chagrin. <br /><br />I don't write about Ren enough. But that doesn't mean I'm not thankful for him. If I listed all the things I was thankful for about him, this would make for quite a long post, and you'd probably walk away feeling really bad about yourself for not being him.<br /><br />He's one of the hardest working people I know. He never gives up. His patience is endless. He is generous. He's a wonderful father. A terrific husband. And I am so thankful that he was born 41 years ago today. <br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Happy Birthday, Sweetie. I love you!!!</span>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995697503647216357noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129315784595775969.post-59816941465139856962009-01-02T08:52:00.003-05:002009-01-02T08:57:10.997-05:00Tired Mom of 4 Needs Good LaughSo here's what I'm proposing. If any one out there actually owns <a href="https://www.freesnuggie.com/?mid=523259">one of these crazy things</a>, I insist that you show up on my doorstep wearing one. So that I may then proceed to fall on the floor and laugh uncontrollably for several hours.<br /><br />Seriously, <span style="font-style: italic;">who owns one of these??? Come on and fess up.</span>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995697503647216357noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129315784595775969.post-33046425065809458592009-01-01T23:24:00.005-05:002009-01-02T00:20:03.281-05:00I Will Begin, Again<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_cWKmMQmFHaU/SV0_TkILRQI/AAAAAAAAFIU/8EkOGdoM-U8/s512/006.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 409px; height: 512px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_cWKmMQmFHaU/SV0_TkILRQI/AAAAAAAAFIU/8EkOGdoM-U8/s512/006.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Well all I can say is, thank God that 2008 is over. Can I get a witness??? Whoo-whoo! So far, 2009 hasn't been so bad. We arrived here all in one piece. No one is deathly ill at the moment. Our checking account currently has more than $5 in it. And last night we brought in the new year with our dear friends, the McCollums. All the kids even made it to midnight. Well, Abigail was asleep in a pack-n-play. We celebrated with a little bit of the bubbly (bubbly <span style="font-style: italic;">cider</span>, that is), of which Oliver was obviously a huge fan. Hopefully, the rest of 2009 will follow suit. All I know is, right now, I'm tired. And I really just wanted a reason to post this awesome picture of my son, courtesy of <a href="http://www.tonymccollum.com/">Tony</a>.<br /><br />Happy New Year to all. And to all, a good night.<br /><br />Now, I just gotta get that darn tree down...Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995697503647216357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129315784595775969.post-62032252551578991142008-12-25T19:40:00.003-05:002008-12-25T21:50:55.678-05:00It's OfficialI hereby declare that I 100% unequivocally, passionately, and resolutely <span style="font-weight: bold;">hate Christmas</span>. Go ahead. Excommunicate me. Tell me what a horrible person I am. Tell me how angry the baby Jesus would be at me for feeling this way, much less admitting it in print. However, I'd be willing to bet that YOU did not spend your Christmas in the ER. Oh, yeah. Because <span style="font-style: italic;">I did</span>. <br /><br />Abigail woke up this morning with a 103 degree fever. She's been sick off and on for a few weeks now, and we thought she was coming out of the woods. Well, last night she just got really fussy after we got home from the Christmas eve service at our church. Very unlike herself. We had a hard time getting her to settle down to sleep, and she woke up quite a few times throughout the night. When we awoke this morning, she was on fire. Suspecting it might be an ear infection, we called the pediatrician and she told us to go on to the ER. Apparently it's very dangerous for young babies to have fevers that high. So, off we went to spend $900 and 3 hours of our blessed holiday at the hospital, all for some not-so-very-nice doctor to tell us she was fine and to go home. 'Tis the freakin' season.<br /><br />So, I've never believed in curses before, but after today I am starting to think that we are under some sort of a <a href="http://sittinginthewaitingroom.blogspot.com/2008/01/old-grinchy-claus-hissed.html">Christmas Curse</a>. I keep telling myself that next year things will be better. However, I've been saying that for 3 years now. And each year I tell myself that, and each year I have this sinking suspicion that things are getting worse!<br /><br />So, as <a href="http://sittinginthewaitingroom.blogspot.com/2008/12/kissing-flu-shots-buh-bye.html">I've decided to not participate in flu shots next year</a>, I am also deciding not to participate in Christmas next year. Can I do that? Is that even legal for Christians? Can I opt out? How 'bout a nice cruise instead? We can just tell the kids that's what the Good Lord and Santa would want us to do.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">December 26th, you can NOT come fast enough.</span>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995697503647216357noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129315784595775969.post-6610761341179991612008-12-18T14:03:00.002-05:002008-12-18T14:16:19.401-05:00Kissing Flu Shots Buh-ByeSo, the kids and I have been sick for over a month now. We've been through a couple rounds of antibiotics (which have had absolutely NO effect), and I'm now convinced that what we've had for the past month is the <span style="font-weight: bold;">flu</span>. <br /><br />And you wanna know the funny thing about all this???<span style="font-weight: bold;"> 4 out of 6 of us had the flu shot!!!!!</span><br /><br />I've had it. I'm done. This will be the <span style="font-style: italic;">last </span>year I make my family suffer the flu shot. Boy, won't <span style="font-style: italic;">my</span> kids be happy! Seriously, every year we get them, and <span style="font-weight: bold;">EVERY SINGLE. BLASTED. STINKIN' YEAR WE END UP WITH THE FLU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</span> <br /><br />I think we're the only people I know that even get the flu shot. And we're also the only people I know that get sick from Thanksgiving until Christmas. So next year, I'm gonna do a little experiment and stick it the pharmaceutical manufacturers, and tell everyone I know to just say "NO!" to the flu shot. <br /><br />Suck on that, <a href="https://www.merckvaccines.com/srv/gw/home/desktop.jsp?frame=1"><span style="font-style: italic;">Merck</span></a>!!!<br /><br />For more flu fun, I've already Googled for your reading pleasure, "<a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=flu+shot+doesn%27t+work&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a">flu shot doesn't work</a>." Knowledge is power, people.Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995697503647216357noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129315784595775969.post-83876349048001923472008-12-15T15:50:00.003-05:002008-12-15T16:15:57.784-05:00Favorite Christmas Specials, Anyone?Well, this blog's been pretty quiet lately (and I'm lookin' at you, <span style="font-style: italic;">Reader</span>!), so I'm asking you for some responses on this one. I want you to list your <span style="font-weight: bold;">top five favorite Christmas shows of all time</span> in the comment section.<br /><br />So in the spirit of Christmas, and also a little bit of desperation and paranoia, here are mine in order of favorite-ness:<br /><br />1. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085334/">A Christmas Story</a><br />2. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059026/"> A Charlie Brown Christmas</a><br />3. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0319343/">Elf</a><br />4. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097958/">National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation</a><br />5. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0897387/">Shrek the Halls</a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">What are your faves?</span>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995697503647216357noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129315784595775969.post-10637308291176824582008-12-14T15:17:00.004-05:002008-12-15T16:17:47.975-05:00Bonhoeffer on Advent<blockquote> "Celebrating Advent means learning how to wait. Waiting is an art which our impatient age has forgotten. We want to pluck the fruit before it has had time to ripen. Greedy eyes are soon disappointed when what they saw as luscious fruit is sour to the taste. In disappointment and disgust they throw it away. The fruit, full of promise, rots on the ground. It is rejected without thanks by disappointed hands.<br /><br /> The blessedness of waiting is lost on those who cannot wait, and the fulfillment of the promise is never theirs…<br /><br /> Who has not felt the anxieties of waiting for the declaration of friendship or love? The greatest, the deepest, the most tender experiences in all the world demand patient waiting…<br /><br /> Not all can wait—certainly not those who are satisfied, contented, and feel that they live in the best of all possible worlds! Those who learn to wait are uneasy about their way of life, but yet have seen a vision of greatness in the world of the future and are patiently expecting its fulfillment. The celebration of Advent is only possible to those who are troubled in soul, who know themselves to be poor and imperfect, and who look forward to something greater to come.”</blockquote><br /><br /> (Edwin Robertson, ed. and trans., Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Christmas Sermons, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005), 20-21).Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995697503647216357noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129315784595775969.post-670123589282113352008-12-12T14:09:00.013-05:002008-12-15T16:16:53.861-05:00Christmas is Just Around the Corner and I'm...Excited???We're already just about two weeks into December and, in typical Christmastime fashion, I have: a <span style="font-weight: bold;">sinus infection</span> that turned into a <span style="font-weight: bold;">raging ear infection</span>--complete with fluid behind my right eardrum that refuses to drain, leading to about a <span style="font-weight: bold;">30% temporary loss of hearing</span>; kids--including the baby--with sinus infections and <span style="font-weight: bold;">very hot pink eyes</span>; a <span style="font-weight: bold;">broken washing machine</span>; a <span style="font-weight: bold;">broken vacuum cleaner</span>; a <span style="font-weight: bold;">broken oven</span>; my wonderful pre-lit <a href="http://www.slowethinking.com/2008/12/lights-ornaments-action.html">SPNCT</a> upon which entire sections of lights keep <span style="font-weight: bold;">blowing out, branch by branch</span>--I am afraid by Christmas it will be a pre-<span style="font-style: italic;">de</span>lit tree; a <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">misplaced</span> (read "lost") <span style="font-weight: bold;">check</span>; and, oh, and absolutely still no clue how we're going to <span style="font-weight: bold;">survive this month financially</span> and make Christmas happen to boot.<br /><br />And yet, I find that I am actually kind of excited about Christmas this year.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">*screech* "</span>What the...???<span style="font-style: italic;">"<br /><br /></span>I know it's kind of strange considering the past few Christmases one can typically find me grumbling and complaining in the <a href="http://sittinginthewaitingroom.blogspot.com/2008/01/old-grinchy-claus-hissed.html">Bah-Humbug Lot</a> along with Charlie Brown, the Grinch and ol' Uncle Ebenezer. And this year, as I look at the aforementioned circumstances and forward to our <span style="font-weight: bold;">impending Christmas doom</span>, I realize that the forecast isn't much brighter than it has been in previous yuletide seasons. In fact, I would say that things seem even tighter this year as we still have two hideously ugly vacant rental homes tied to our backs, which do not look like they're going to sell any time this century.<br /><br />This time of year, I always find myself wishing that we could simply call the powers that be and, in the spirit of Christmas and holiday cheer, say, "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors" and they be okay with that.<br /><br />But, alas, that's not the world in which we live.<br /><br />So, why <span style="font-weight: bold;">on earth</span> am I excited?<br /><br />I am excited about the<span style="font-weight: bold;"> potential</span> we have here. The <span style="font-weight: bold;">opportunity</span>. I am excited about what I get to see God do this year. I believe our circumstances are so shoddy that only God can help us. We have no where to look but up. No where to turn to but Him. In fact, I believe that we have all the necessary ingredients for a <span style="font-weight: bold;">true Christmas miracle</span>. Like, straight out of a movie. Let's examine them, shall we?<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">A <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBPbmqmp9XFWS4cTUKjuH2MJKHzhNVrGWigDa0JdcjN4ONclI0kl4j10o4v9pTiUyl3QpEPErst0k4dbVzfdUxZFGEaMTwrs5CxYiQnMGEZzO62DmLRqowFf3TABaklIqWLy49-qKYWBxN/s1600-h/hpis_14185728.jpg">decent family down on their luck</a>?</span> Check.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">A </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ujcqG2lTuXClWkPjkh7iICUc7v_7ft6ylD-tOyodblMHAHc-PU9MbNjjjSNVJa0EvZTmxnVx9FwPDoPVlMN9Tz2NTSJ0tEa1a1uA8snjmEgxYYxD7OcW_xkW7TZDaTDloLvsLhZFaIFE/s1600-h/06+09_0177.JPG">plethora of tiny urchins</a>?</span> Check.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">A <a href="http://www.renbuckland.com/">man </a>who has a positive attitude, generous heart, and could be mistaken for George Bailey?</span> Check.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">A <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchWvkw_AmtJ37f8jBinEn522Jdjpt-3jojTLzvjXPEgqkB0vXTy1iVra0NcQ0F0F6S_aTMlifrSURk-CKu-hE1mPZ8P2aoq1hoyIDdfeZtSsNzl_saN9nW2_IQ2Pq_brljoPCYybFS9IK/s1600-h/Copy+of+IMG_1636.JPG">curmudgeonly, bitter, angry character</a> who's in desperate need of a heart transplant?</span> Meh. Check.<br /><br />I jest. But I am actually looking forward to trading in all my stodgy, stale, and materialistic Christmas traditions in order to give God the opportunity to truly move. Listen, I'm certainly not expecting a bail-out. I don't <span style="font-style: italic;">deserve</span> it. We've made our beds. God owes us no favors. I guess I just realize that if we are going to be able to pay our bills AND give the kids at least a gift or two under the tree, that we are going to have to witness a <span>true Christmas miracle</span>. I never thought I'd feel this way, but it truly is a blessed place to be when you have no where to go, but God.<br /><br />And to top it all off, in the midst of these cruddy circumstances, I feel like my heart may actually be growing a size or two. In each of the aforementioned scenarios, I find myself thankful for God's provision. I am thankful that my washing machine broke AFTER I extended the warranty, thus making the repair completely no charge. I am thankful for friends and family, who are completely willing and able to loan us their vacuum cleaners until we can afford to buy a new one of our own. I am so very thankful that I am able to stay home with my children and take care of them while they are sick, that I am not working and leaving them in the care of someone else. I am thankful that, even though my oven may be broken, at least the stove top still works. I am thankful that, even though things have been tight, we've never missed a meal. And for a self-professed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foodie">foodie</a>, that is quite a big deal.<br /><br />And about those houses...Hey, at least we can give our first two daughters homes as <span style="font-style: italic;">wedding gifts</span>. In 20 or so years.<br /><br />I am able to see <span style="font-weight: bold;">God's provision</span> in all of this junk. It may not be exactly what I want or how I want it. But it's there. I can't deny it. God is providing. I'm finding that it really is true that God is in even the <span style="font-weight: bold;">worst</span> of circumstances. On my way to the urgent care facility the other morning, my ear on fire, I found myself praising God that I even had a facility like this to go. It was affordable, in close proximity, and clean. I mean, what do people do who don't have access to such common things to us as <span style="font-weight: bold;">antibiotics</span>? Seriously. Things that I take for granted. Things I think I am <span style="font-style: italic;">entitled</span> to.<br /><br />My blasted <span style="font-weight: bold;">sense of entitlement</span> has taken a bloody beating this year. I'm not looking to Him for what I feel He owes me. For what I feel I deserve. I don't deserve jack. Everything I have is a <span style="font-weight: bold;">gift</span>. I call upon His help because of Who He is. Because of His great love. His eternal mercy.<br /><br />God, thank You for saving a <span style="font-weight: bold;">wretch</span> like me.<br /><br />And that, my friends, is why I am excited. I want to encourage any of you who might be stressing out over the holidays, worrying about money, and presents, and such. I may not be able to send out fancy Christmas cards this year. I may not be able to do all the festive things that are supposed to boost my Christmas Spirit, yet do nothing but merely end up draining our wallets. But maybe this year, instead of complaining about all the things I don't have, and all the things I wish I had, and all the things I didn't get...maybe, just maybe, for once, I will be completely content, satisfied...even happy...with a roof over our heads, food on the table, friends and family by my side, and our health and sanity intact. Maybe even this year, a true Christmas miracle has <span style="font-style: italic;">already</span> occurred.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oDz5eaciu0&feature=related">A changed heart</a>.<br /><br />What more could anyone ever need?<br /><br />Isn't that what this time of year is all about anyway???<br /><br />God bless us. Everyone.Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995697503647216357noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129315784595775969.post-7371671493944625912008-12-05T14:04:00.002-05:002008-12-15T16:18:39.847-05:00SHREK THE HALLS<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p><object height="350" width="425"><param value="http://youtube.com/v/Jx2oMq1zaKc" name="movie"><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://youtube.com/v/Jx2oMq1zaKc" height="350" width="425"></embed></object></p><p>Has anyone seen this yet? The kids and I DVRd it and we can't stop watching it. It's hilarious. I think it's quickly becoming one of my favorite Christmas specials. <br /><br />Honestly, I think it's because it reminds me of some of my family get-togethers during the holidays. :) </p></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995697503647216357noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129315784595775969.post-36680757950393686122008-11-30T20:14:00.004-05:002008-11-30T20:46:49.785-05:00Sunday Night Brain Dumpage<ul><li>We've had a very busy Thanksgiving weekend. Lots of family. Lots of fun.</li><li>Hence, tonight was the first night we've gotten all the kids to bed at a decent time in about a week. I am enjoying the silence.<br /></li><li>The weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful.</li><li>I already have my Christmas tree up. I actually had it up before Thanksgiving. I've never done that before. I'm usually a stickler about that. Last November we had 5 Thursdays, meaning we had another week after Thanksgiving during which to put up and enjoy the Christmas tree. Thanksgiving seemed to come really late this year.</li><li>I still need to put up the outside lights, but it's been so nasty outside. Wet and cold.<br /></li><li>Tomorrow's the first day of December. In the words of Charlie Brown, "Good grief!"</li><li>I made an awesome turkey this year. And it wasn't that difficult. I will definitely be repeating <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/good-eats-roast-turkey-recipe/index.html">this</a> recipe again for future Thanksgivings. Thanks, Alton!<br /></li><li>Are you tired of leftovers??? I found an incredible recipe for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/turkey-vegetable-soup-with-stuffing-dumplings-recipe/index.html">turkey soup</a>. I made it yesterday and it was a big hit. Whoever came up with the idea for "stuffing dumplings" is a freaking genius in my book. I recommend this recipe wholeheartedly.</li><li>I sang at <a href="http://www.createfusion.com">church</a> today for the first time in over 3 years. I have been fighting a sinus infection, so I know I didn't sound my best. But I sure had fun doing it.</li><li>Ren and I watched most of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0867149/">Dane Cook's Vicious Circle</a> today after church. I found it to be pretty disappointing.</li><li>The kids and I have all had sinus infections for over a couple of weeks now. Then, I woke up today from my afternoon nap, and my eye was red and full of gunk. Nice. So was the baby's. And so was Josephine's. Thank God we have pink eye drops already on hand.</li><li>I know this is completely freaky and will potentially gross out several of my readers, but I found <a href="http://www.breastfeeding123.com/breast-milk-cures-pink-eye-conjunctivitis/">this</a> to be quite an incredible tidbit of information. <br /></li><li>My dad is home visiting us for a week. He lives in Detroit due to his job. It's always nice to have him home with us.</li><li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vp-is6S_b_g">"Yo man let's get out of here. Word to your mother."</a> </li></ul>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995697503647216357noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129315784595775969.post-332529450709735092008-11-27T22:57:00.002-05:002008-11-27T23:08:48.819-05:00Happy Thanksgiving!Well, our <a href="http://sittinginthewaitingroom.blogspot.com/2008/11/life-in-nutshell-and-whole-lot-of.html">blended Thanksgiving</a> went off without a hitch. We had both the Bucklands and the Borgs in the hizouse. And it was great. We all shared the load with the food prep, so it was easy on everyone. It was low stress and very joyful. I can't help thinking how blessed we are to have both sets of parents still with us and still very much a part of our lives. <br /><br />I grew up in a military family, and many times in our lives we found ourselves in a new location isolated from family and friends. The thought of my poor mother preparing Thanksgiving dinner all by herself honestly made me want to weep. I can't even imagine it. All I had to do was the <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/good-eats-roast-turkey-recipe/index.html">turkey</a>, stuffing, and deviled eggs. And even that was plenty of work, my friends. I felt so blessed as I tackled my end of the Thanksgiving deal, and the rest of my family theirs. It was community and teamwork at its very finest.<br /><br />I hope and pray that each of you had a very happy Thanksgiving. Now, on to <span style="font-style: italic;">Christmas</span>!!!Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995697503647216357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129315784595775969.post-78536752571255944252008-11-21T11:59:00.005-05:002008-11-22T09:06:44.087-05:00Josephine Saves the DaySometimes you hear stories. Stories about the mistakes grown-up, intelligent, decent adults make in this job we call parenting. Stories that make you pause and take notice. Stories that may even leave you scratching your head and asking yourself, "Why on earth did they do <span style="font-style: italic;">that</span>?" Or, "How exactly did <span style="font-style: italic;">that</span> happen?"<br /><br />Well, my friends, I'd like to share a story with you just exactly how something like "that" happened to me, just yesterday.<br /><br />I ran in to Ingles to do some grocery shopping. I just needed a few things. I had just enough time to run in, get the stuff we needed, and get home before the bus brought Isabel home from school. I had my 3 littlest ones with me--Josephine, 4; Oliver, 23 months; and Abigail, 5 1/2 months.<br /><br />We finished our shopping (in record time with 3 small children, I might add), checked out at the cash register, and headed back out to the car. I was feeling pretty confident.<br /><br />I proceeded to get all 3 kids buckled into their car seats, so I could then load up the groceries into the van. It was then that I noticed a bottle of gingerbread flavored Coffee Mate that had somehow gotten lodged between Abigail's car seat and the shopping cart. I checked the receipt, and sure enough, they forgot to charge me for it.<br /><br />Now any normal human being would have, at this point, just thrown the bonus bottle of delightful holiday flavored coffee creamer into the van with the rest of the loot and yelled "Score!" and then probably could have driven off, thinking that God had simply smiled on them that day, not ever giving it a second thought for the rest of their lives. Not me. Oh no. I was tempted. But I know myself. I would have been plagued with Coffee Mate guilt for the rest of my life. That's just the kind of person I am. I don't take <span style="font-weight: bold;">anything</span>, much to the chagrin of my poor, poor husband, lightly. I shop at this Ingles quite frequently since it's just two minutes from my house. And I knew that I could never, ever, from this day forward, after smuggling a stolen bottle of non-dairy creamer, ever be able to step foot into that Ingles with a clear conscience ever again. Every eye would be on me, even if they indeed were not. Every time I stubbed my toe or something else would go wrong, I would suspect that it was God getting back at me for not taking back the bottle or paying for it like I should.<br /><br />I decided it just was not worth it. And, I, being the honest injun that I am, decided to go back inside and pay for the bottle of Coffee Mate.<br /><br />Mind you, I am on borrowed time here, people. My five-year old is going to be home in just 15 minutes. I figured that it would require more time and more effort getting all 3 kids back out of their car seats by itself than it would simply running in and going through the self-check aisle with the pesky coffee creamer. I <span style="font-weight: bold;">never</span> leave them in the car by themselves. Surely, I thought, they will be fine this time, for just a few short minutes.<br /><br />And I'm sure they <span style="font-style: italic;">would</span> have been. I made sure I locked the doors. It's cool outside. Everyone was safe. I ran inside Ingles...<br /><br />And realized I left my keys sitting in the front seat of my <span style="font-weight: bold;">locked</span> van.<br /><br />Did I mention that I had <span style="font-weight: bold;">3 kids in that van</span>???<br /><br />Did I also mention that I had to be home in <span style="font-weight: bold;">15 minutes so that my five-year old didn't come home to a locked and empty home</span>???<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">PANIC!!!!!!!!!!!!</span><br /><br />I didn't have a spare key. I calmly start to coach Josephine to try to unbuckle her car seat. She's a pro at getting the top buckle of her 5-point harness undone, but not the bottom buckle. Her little fingers have just never been strong enough. So I am loudly encouraging her to try as hard as she can to press that red button.<br /><br />"Honey, use all your muscles. Try harder." Fail.<br /><br />By that time, I started to gather a crowd. Several baggers and Ingles patrons spotted me shouting to my daughter through the window. We were all coaching her. We even tried to get her to Houdini herself out of the buckle. "Can you wiggle out of it, Sweetie?"<br /><br />Nope. Not in a <a href="http://www.britaxusa.com/">Britax</a>.<br /><br />Several women at this point started offering me other solutions:<br /><br />"Ma'am I'll call 911."<br /><br />"Honey, can I drive you to your house so we can get your daughter?"<br /><br />"Do you have anyone else that you can call? Anyone else that has a key?"<br /><br />I didn't. There was nothing I could do at this point. Even if I went home with the kind lady that offered, I had no way in to the house. The garage door opener was in my car, as was my house key. So while I could be there to get Isabel when she got home from school, my 3 other children would have still been stuck inside the van in the parking lot at Ingles. Somehow, I just didn't think that was such a great plan. By then, the fire truck that was dispatched from the 911 call showed up. Oliver was very excited about this, even from inside the stuffy, locked van.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Mama's trying not to have a nervous breakdown.<br /><br />Just then, I hear a lady shout, "She's out!!!!" Jo, our sweaty little hero of the day, kept working at her buckle, until she finally got it. "Mama, I did it!" I heard her shout. She squeezed through the seats, and unlocked the door. Everyone cheered. And the good fireman of Barrow County totally wasted a trip, and your tax dollars, on us. We thanked everyone, raced home, and we pulled up right behind Isabel's school bus, as it dropped her off just before the moment we arrived.<br /><br />Crazy day. Everyone was safe. God is so very gracious.Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995697503647216357noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129315784595775969.post-89980442878218319472008-11-21T10:02:00.004-05:002008-11-21T10:24:24.512-05:00Life in a Nutshell (And a Whole Lot of Parentheses)Wow. So I realize that I've probably lost all 5 of my readers due to my most recent blogging strike I've been on for the past month or so. I guess I've been too busy experiencing life to blog much about it. Since I last posted, we ended up NOT going trick-or-treating (instead we opted for a family fun night out at Chuck E. Cheese's-we were surprised to find we weren't the only weirdos there--it was pretty hoppin'); I turned 32 on the 1st (which was celebrated with an evening of fabulous dinner at P.F. Chang's, a viewing of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Changeling</span>-which was fantastic, BTW, and the last twenty minutes of <span style="font-style: italic;">It's a Wonderful Life</span> on a portable blow up screen outside the Mall of Georgia pavillion complete with chilly weather, <a href="http://www.renbuckland.com">a cuddly spouse</a>, and Starbuck's--it was perfect); Jo turned 4 on the 15th (complete with an inflatable jumpy birthday party); and now we already find ourselves getting ready for Thanksgiving (are you even serious???) next week as we celebrate our first ever blended Borg/Buckland Family Thanksgiving. <br /><br />I feel like I have a ton of stuff to blog about, and now I'm all backlogged and such. You should expect roughly 453 posts in the next few days as I try to catch up. Hey, it's feast or famine with me. It's the manic happenin'. I hope you're in the mood to read LOADS of semi-interesting anecdotes written by yours truly. I know, who wouldn't be, right?Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995697503647216357noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129315784595775969.post-21370493634484123262008-11-01T08:40:00.001-04:002008-11-01T08:40:10.891-04:00Oliver's Favorite Song<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><object height='350' width='425'><param value='http://youtube.com/v/QQDie3wu3_8' name='movie'/><embed height='350' width='425' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' src='http://youtube.com/v/QQDie3wu3_8'/></object></p><p>My son requests this song no less than 50 times a day. He refers to it as "Come On." And I must say that it is one cool and catchy tune. Brought to you by Mates of State.</p></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995697503647216357noreply@blogger.com1