Tribute to a Father...

Father's Day is always tricky for me. How do I find a way to bless my husband, father to the three most beautiful children I've ever seen?! I realized this year that what I really wanted for Mother's Day is what he should be able to have for Father's Day. And I griped about it when he made the plans to take care of it himself, when really I wished I had the initiative to go ahead and plan it for him myself. I heard a friend detail her ideal Mother's Day Weekend...Friday night in a hotel by herself, Saturday spent alone by the pool or shopping with friends and Saturday night back at home ready for breakfast served in bed by her kids on Sunday morning. Alas, I relinquish that this too is my dream. Albeit, it's not that easy to get away from a baby I am close to weaning but wasn't that close this past Mother's Day. Anyhow, I need to say that Don is all about golf, so why should I make him feel badly when he wants to spend Friday and Saturday morning golfing with friends on Father's Day weekend? I should be grateful to God that He has blessed my hubby with great men to be around, a hobby that promotes exercise and that he essentially finds ways to get to do for little cost. So, this is a tribute to my husband...

You are a daddy who is trying so hard to provide and I applaud you publicly and lift you up for many to see the honor you deserve. The grace in which God will give me as we live out these next three years of this doctoral program WILL be sufficient for me and I commit to being a helper to you, to think of your needs before my own, to wear the smile that won your heart and not the sorrow that can so easily consume me. I could not say it better than our Pastor has...he knows no one who is doing what you are doing...full time job, student, husband, and father to three in one of the expensive but most beautiful places on earth! But we commit anew to do this in God's strength not our own that the life that we are living and the future He has in store for us will only serve to be a great testimony to our God that we receive nothing but by faith, that promotion comes only from Him, that blessed are the poor, that no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly, that He who promised is faithful, and that His grace will be sufficient for us. You are a man to be admired by all who know you. You are a rare and priceless gift to this generation. You have a high calling and I again am humbled to be the woman to pray you through this and...to kick your butt when it needs it! I am your biggest fan and you are my only hero! So, let it be known throughout the land, that Queen Trina bids King Donald the grandest of Father's Day Wishes, the most heartfelt of Father's Day prayers and the most passionate commitment to love, honor, and respect you throughout this new year with God's love and not just my own. I love you.

A Manageable Amount of Stuff

As a professional organizer, I have come face to face with the state of our culture and the ill effects it has had on so many mothers in the area of managing our households. We are bombarded with so much variety for our kids in regards to toys and then there are the amazing deals we find at Target that even if we have plenty of cute clothes already for our kids, we buy more just to boast of the deals we scored! I ask you though, what is a manageable amount of stuff? Think back to the "olden days" as AJ calls them...really do we think they had toy rooms piled with 8 years of toys and stockpiles of garments that could clothe an army of children? Really, I don't believe it is God's desire that moms have this much stuff to manage, do you? I can't say that I don't enjoy the convenience of modern times, but even though we don't have money to buy our kids every toy their little heart desires, I still say there is no way that I would want to have as much as some mommas house in their kids playrooms, bedrooms, and garages. So what is manageable for me, you ask? A few boxes of cars for Keenan, some flashlights, some dress up clothes, two small bins of Legos, some ride-on toys, an organized shelf of books, a trunk neatly packed with games, crayons and coloring books, and a cabinet that neatly houses two very small shelves with less than a dozen toys for the littlest one. AJ has a dress up bin that she is ready to get rid of but I think the classic Disney dresses in there are something we will save for her children, along with a few special dolls, baby blankets, baby outfits and stuffed loveys. Other than that she has some clothes and some jewelry. She loves to write and swim. I am thankful that Barbies really never caught on with all that much enthusiam and the craft hobby is limited to what I can handle...simple oil pastels that she loves to create magnificient and no mess masterpieces! Maybe other moms are not bothered by the plethura of things out there to amuse a child, but I can tell you as a mom of three, what my kids love... attention from me, going to the park and swimming endless hours at the pool without tons of excessively useless pool toys! I guess you could say, I really do like to travel light and can't wait to get to Heaven where nothing has to come with me,

Zerbert Therapy

So a couple of days ago, I was playing on the floor with Darien. No other kids were home and none of them have ever done this to me. He lifted up my shirt just a bit and planted some loud, juicy zerberts on my tummy! I was cracking up! It was so unpracticed and spontaneous! What a neat way for him to show his love for me! He and Keenan decided that today it would be good to gang up on mom and do double duty on the slobbery fart sounding zerberts! So, thus my title, I received my own healing spa treatment...zerbert therapy! No hefty price, no sticky lotions and smells...just pure, unadulterated spitty love from my little boyfriends! Priceless...let me tell you! I am healed...body, soul and spirit from the love of these little sweethearts!

On another note, AJ had her first audition the other day and it went well. Alas, not hearing from them yet, I gather she did not land this one, but she had fun, it was easy parking, did not take a huge chunk of my day and we got the first one under our belt! Prayers for lots more...her agency says she will have tons more opportunities!

Summer vacation is almost upon us and my mom will be returning for the month of July to help me with the kids while I hopefully land a few more deals with clients. We look forward to celebrating AJ's 8th birthday with a pool party and sleepover...I know, yes, I have pretty much lost my mind! But, poor sweetheart, we haven't had too many sleepovers here due to space and noise issues with wakeful baby D for the past year. SO, I had to give in here. I do hope the girls can find some peaceful things to do...I know I am probably setting myself up for disappointment there, right?!

Just wanted to say to those who read that I appreciate your comments and think it is so fun to keep in touch this way even though I just cannot seem to be quite as faithful as I always promise to be! I have always loved writing and journaling and truly do have every intention to use this as an outlet to yes, archive my kids special moments, but also to offer a moment of encouragement from time to time.

Look for some pics of the kids again soon...

With thoughts of many of you...

Trina The MOMMY!