The hazards of being the "baby" of the family.

A sad story of a trusting little sister with a now tainted sense of smell.

One day young Trish was sitting in her room.

She dreamily gazed up at her New Kids on the Block covered walls.

She envisioned the day she would move to Boston to marry Joey McIntrye.



Her sister Deborah walks into their shared room and excitedly exclaims she has a GREAT game they could play. Trish always being up for a good time with her sister readily listened as Deborah explained the rules.

The game would be a "smell test" if you will.

Trish would close her eyes and Deborah would hold various perfumes under her nose. Trish would then guess which perfume was which. No prize was offered....just bragging rights. Let's face it, Trish was a bit dingy and this game sounded like fun!




Trish closed her eyes tight and waited for Deborah to tell her when to take a sniff.

"Okay first one is under your nose.....what is it"? Deborah said.

sniff.....snifffffffffffffff

"ooooooo, oooooooo that is mom's White Diamonds FOR SURE, I am right"!



"AWESOME, you are good at this, you re right"! Deborah exclaimed.

Deborah got the next one ready. "This one is strong so you don't have to inhale too hard".

Trish takes another sniff and knows immeditely! "It's Realities by Liz Claiborne"!



"Right again, now I am going to have to try something harder, you are so good at this" said Deborah.

Trish prepared herself for a tough one.

She was READY.

Deborah says "Okay, this one is a lighter scent so YOU REALLY need to inhale deeply to be able to figure it out, are you ready"?

"I'm ready" said Trish.

"Okay here we go, remember take a BIG sniff, this one is tough" Deborah explained.

Trish took a HUGE sniff, the kind of sniff you would take when you are smelling an awesome candle, or fresh baked cookies.

Suddenly she felt nauseated as the RANCID scent filled her nose and lungs.

She began gagging uncontrollably.

She felt chunks rising in her throat, the smell was so horrendous.

Admist her gags she hears hysterical laughter.

Deborah was in stitches.

Confused, Trish scans the room desparately trying to figure out what she had just inhaled.

She spots a small bottle in Deborah's hand.....and quickly grabs it, while Deborah continues to roll around on the floor in hysterics.

Trish became incredibly horrified when she read this label:



She had just inhaled Doe urine.

An avid hunter, Deborah and Trish's father would use this in the woods from time to time to attract that allusive Buck.

Trish dashed to the bathroom, hand over her mouth, chunks rising, leaving Deborah on the floor laughing hysterically at the perfect execution of her "gag". While there was no prize for Trish, obviously Deborah was the winner here.

Score Board:
Deborah: 50 points
Trish -150 points.

Trish never agreed to play "the sniff game" ever again.

This my friends is just one of the hazards of being the youngest of the family.

Trish and Deborah's father on Christmas with a "gag" gift of Deer Pee from Trish

Christmas 2008 Run Down

J hated Santa. He screamed bloody murder for his picture.



Makily loved him as always and stared intently.



The kids got so many toys and clothes that our house looks like Toys R Us exploded.



I got a NEW LAPTOP that I needed desparately BUT NEVER would have bought for myself. Allen really is an awesome husband.



Allen got a Magellen Navigation System and he loves it. Everywhere we went today he had to "test it" to make sure it was right. It was.



I am tired, feeling fat and lazy. Gotta get back on Jenny Craig and wogging after the New Year.



Thanks to all my family and friends. We appreicated each and every gift.



Now photo overload.



Enjoy.



Elmo and "Brobee" from Yo Gabba Gabba. These were the "big toys" we got this year. The kids love them both. The Elmo is REALLY cool and I am shocked at all the things he does.





Makily's Cabbage Patch (Andrea I thought of you and Luke's "sister" when I bought this! LOL)





A small portion of our Christmas Mess





My mom and Makily on Christmas Day





Makily and Uncle John on Christmas Eve





Little J's Christmas Robeeze





Allen Christmas Eve





Little Beauty





Happy Girl





The Princess with Santa









Christmas Eve








Christmas Morning, she's not sure what the heck to think!





That's all for now. Will try and blog more updates in the next couple of days. Christmas really has me thrown off right now.

What must Jospeh have been thinking?

Two weeks ago our church had a Christmas program.

The WHOLE family went and the program was really nice.

Their was one scene in particular that REALLY spoke to me.

I found myself with a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes listening and watching it.

The scene was about what Joseph must have been thinking/feeling and praying while Mary was in labor.

It struck me because I have often times found myself saying (and I have said it on this blog more times than I can count):

"THIS IS NOT WHAT I HAD PLANNED"!!!

I think in ALL of our lives we can look back and see times when we desperately wanted God to come down and explain himself. Many times I would have given my right arm if he could just come down and say "Patricia, this is happening because XYZ". I have learned (and am still learning and MUST remind myself a million times a day) that sometimes we just have to have blind faith and believe that there is a plan. I may not be able to see it, touch it, feel it or even understand it....but that is what having faith is all about.

I was thinking about what to blog on this Christmas Eve and it hit me that I needed to somehow find that "Joseph's Prayer" . I didn't have to look long, I found it almost immediately.

I hope you all are ministered to by it and enjoy it as much as I did.

Joseph's Prayer

What was he thinking while Jesus was being born? What was on his mind while Mary was giving birth? He'd done all he could do-heated the water, prepared a place for Mary to lie. He'd made Mary as comfortable as she could be in a barn and then he stepped out. She'd asked to be alone, and Joseph has never felt more so.

In that eternity between his wife's dismissal and Jesus' arrival, what was he thinking? He walked into the night and looked into the stars. Did he pray?

For some reason, I don't see him silent; I see Joseph animated, pacing. Head shaking one minute, fist shaking the next. This isn't what he had in mind. I wonder what he said . . .

This isn't the way I planned it, God. Not at all. My child being born in a stable? This isn't the way I thought it would be. A cave with sheep and donkeys, hay and straw? My wife giving birth with only the stars to hear her pain?

This isn't at all what I imagined. No, I imagined family. I imagined grandmothers. I imagined neighbors clustered outside the door and friends standing at my side. I imagined the house erupting with the first cry of the infant. Slaps on the back. Loud laughter. Jubilation.

That's how I thought it would be.

The midwife would hand me my child and all the people would applaud. Mary would rest and we would celebrate. All of Nazareth would celebrate.

But now. Now look. Nazareth is five days' journey away. And here we are in a . . . in a sheep pasture. Who will celebrate with us? The sheep?

The shepherds? The stars?

This doesn't seem right. What kind of husband am I? I provide no midwife to aid my wife. No bed to rest her back. Her pillow is a blanket from my donkey. My house for her is a shed of hay and straw.

The smell is bad, the animals are loud. Why, I even smell like a shepherd myself.

Did I miss something? Did I, God?

When you sent the angel and spoke of the son being born - this isn't what I pictured. I envisioned Jerusalem, the temple, the priests, and the people gathered to watch. A pageant perhaps. A parade. A banquet at least. I mean, this is the Messiah!

Or, if not born in Jerusalem, how about Nazareth? Wouldn't Nazareth have been better? At least there I have my house and my business. Out here, what do I have? A weary mule, a stack of firewood, and a pot of warm water. This is not the way I wanted it to be! This is not the way I wanted my son.

Oh my, I did it again. I did it again, didn't I, Father? I don't mean to do that; it's just that I forget. He's not my son . . . he's yours.

The child is yours. The plan is yours. The idea is yours. And forgive me for asking but . . . is this how God enters the world? The coming of the angel, I've accepted. The questions people asked about the pregnancy, I can tolerate. The trip to Bethlehem, fine. But why a birth in a stable, God?

Any minute now Mary will give birth. Not to a child, but to the Messiah.

Not to an infant, but to God. That's what the angel said. That's what Mary believes. And, God, my God, that's what I want to believe. But surely you can understand; it's not easy. It seems so . . . so . . . so . . . bizarre.

I'm unaccustomed to such strangeness, God. I'm a carpenter. I make things fit. I square off the edges. I follow the plumb line. I measure twice before I cut once. Surprises are not the friend of a builder. I like to know the plan. I like to see the plan before I begin.

But this time I'm not the builder, am I? This time I'm a tool. A hammer in your grip. A nail between your fingers. A chisel in your hands.

This project is yours, not mine.

I guess it's foolish of me to question you. Forgive my struggling. Trust doesn't come easy to me, God. But you never said it would be easy, did you?

One final thing, Father. The angel you sent? Any chance you could send another? If not an angel, maybe a person? I don't know anyone around here and some company would be nice. Maybe the innkeeper or a traveler?

Even a shepherd would do.

Copyright (c) 2008 Max Lucado from the book Cast of Characters: Common People in the Hands of an Uncommon God published by Thomas Nelson; September 2008

I also wanted to attach this video of "Mary Did You Know". It's one of MY FAVORITE Christmas songs. It is done to clips from "The Passion of the Christ". I would not let your little ones watch it as some of the clips are rather graphic. I picked this video though because of how much I loved the movie. I was pregnant with Makily when it came out and I remember sobbing through the majority of it.

You know it was a good movie when you come out and your face is red and puffy from crying right?!

Okay so I admit, I'm a smidge warped.

So anyway here it is:

What a Party!

We had an amazing 1st Birthday party for Little J.

Cousin Micah and "The Pa Pa" have birthday's in December so we celebrated them all at once. It's a little funny that my Dad had a Monster Truck Birthday party though!

He got TONS of clothes and toys. Most of all he had TONS of love. He played, he laughed, he was loved on and held all day long. He ate his cake on my living room floor (don't worry I had mopped it that morning!). He smeared it everywhere and had A BIG TIME. He only had one nap all day and usually that means you have a GRUMPY baby by four.....not Saturday he was the happiest, sweetest little boy.

We just invited immediately family and close friends. I thought that would make it even more special and that it wouldnt be so crowded. WOW, when I looked around and saw how many people love J in my tiny house, I was touched.

Thank you to everyone that came and loved BOTH my babies. I am so grateful for the love and support you all have shown to our family. Not once has ANYONE close to us EVER treated Makily differently because of her special needs. The same goes for J, you would never have known that he was not "genetically" (that's probably a good thing right LOLOL) a part of our family. He is loved and treasured by all of us.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY BIG ONE YEAR OLD. WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH.

**warning, this will be TOTAL PICTURE OVERLOAD and I hope you love it as much as I do!**

*oh and PS......Thanks to Barbara at my mom's work for the fruit and wine basket. WE LOVED IT and J even ate some of the grapes!*



THE FOOD TABLE!


The cake, notice how it says "Baby J", it's funny that in real life we have started calling him his "blog name" LOLOLOL


The bounce house was a HIT!


My full house, we were busting at the seams but it was great!


"HE STOLE MY PUPPY"! This picture cracks me UP!


"Get this Puppy Theif off of me"!!!


"Why, Why are you all laughing at my misery"?


"Oh sweet, puppy, back in my arms again"!


"I think I'm okay now'


BIG SIX year old Micah and Mommy


Trishtwo and Pretty Cameron Rose


Justin and Cole


Sweet Alivia


Micah and Deborah opening presesnts


Allen and his clone aka Mini Me aka SWEET MAKILY (I swear this picture really shows how much she looks like Daddy, it's almost like I had nothing to do with it).


Micah and Cameron. When they see each other they always have a nice warm hug, they both close their eyes during the hug too, we need to watch these two!


Little Deborah...ooops I'm sorry it's Delaney again!


Me and my Angel Girl


Brianna, she had the CUTEST outfit and prettiest bow ever! She's incredibly snuggly too!


Work it Cameron baby WORK IT!


Makily and Uncle Justin


OMG I GOT ANOTHER GORILLA, this kid loves gorilla's, the hulk and dinosaurs!


Allen and Micah BOUNCIN!
(Allen's shirt says "I ate jalapeno" and had a stick figure with fire coming out of his butt.....only my husband...only my husband.)


This is SO fun!


He loves this POPPER!


CAKE


Cake feet!


Cool BOOTS!


All J's new clothes!


He got a TON of new toys too, I havent gotten the pics of those uploaded yet. We are having all kinds of issues with our desktop and I fear we may have to buy a new one. I'm hoping it's just the monitor. We'll see.

It was a zoo in this house and I loved EVERY MINUTE OF IT.

We had a button fiasco yesterday. I was pretty bad. I cried, Makily cried, Allen paced like a maniac. Oh the joy of it all. I'll blog it tomorrow. I have a ton of crap to finish today. Christmas is sneaking up on me so fast and I just have SO many balls up in the air. I don't know how I think straight most of the time.