Just so I never forget......

.....that God takes care of all the small details. He even made sure that my Thanksgiving table was full this year....all the way in the "Artic North".

P.S. My apple pie even turned out okay!

No you humph, ME humph!

This is Sam. He is "humphing". This started out with him "being 2" and ornery. He would cross his arms, as in the picture minus the grin, and humph. Of course this happened when he didn't want to do something.

I thought he looked so cute doing it that I would egg him on by copying him. This led to him replying, "No you humph (cross arms), ME humph (cross arms)." To which I would reply, "No you humph (cross arms), ME humph (cross arms)." And on and on it went. Until one day his reply was, "No you humph (cross arms), EVERYBODY humph (cross arms)." From then on it became a family game.

Today, however, I am "humphing" without playing the game. No one can humph but me. If I could, I would sit in a corner with my arms crossed and scowl. Why you ask? Because I am tired and want to go home. I know, makes me sound like I am a child doesn't it? Well, childish or not....it's the truth.

I am tired physically and emotionally. I am tired of the cold weather and lack of sunshine. I am tired to hearing the kids beg to "doe home, Georgia" without being able to reply, "Amen...let's pack". I haven't been sleeping well and am a mean green cleaning machine. So I am physically tired. I am tired of missing my friends. I am tired of Maddie not having any friends because no one wants to have a play date with us (I don't smell, promise). I am tired of sounding different and being different than everyone else. I am just plain tired.

Luckily my Mommy is coming tomorrow. I don't care that I am 29 and a mother of 2. I am looking forward to seeing my Mommy. I am craving adult conversation during the day. Don't misunderstand. I love conversations with my kids, but sometimes you want to discuss more that just Buzz "Yightyear" or what Bitty Baby should wear. For 6 days, I will not be the only adult in the house all day. Not only will I not be the only adult, but the other adult has an even stronger southern accent than me!! That is very exciting. Almost exciting enough to make me want to say, "Everybody humph."

Northern Vernacular

This is what "flurries" looks like in the north.........

Back home this would have shut down schools, delayed the start of many businesses, and sent people running for the elicit "bread and milk". However, here it's just "flurries".

Notice anything else different in this picture of "flurries"? Yes, the snow stuck to the roads first. Didn't know that was possible. In my experience, there has to been at least a couple inches on the ground before the road is completely covered.

Good thing the trusty ol' van can putt it's way through wind, rain, tornadoes, and snow! It's off to get the annual family Christmas pictures made!!

Everyone Loves a Thanksgiving Package

Today we received a package from Grandma and Papa. It was full of goodies for everyone! Notice the chocolate. I claimed that. And I won't tell that the Kisses had already been opened and "tested" before this picture was taken. Don't worry, I shared with the kids :)

Sam was so excited with his magnetic pirate book. What more could my little pirate who loves books want? He even let Maddie play with him.

Maddie loved the pop up Disney Princess book. She loved looking at all the different scenes and hearing the stories that go with each. She is currently heading downstairs to get her Princesses to play in the pop up castles.

And Christmas ornaments!!! What could be more appropriate than the Disney Princesses?

Maybe Tick Tock and Captain Hook!! The kids can't wait to put them on the Christmas tree. Of course, that means Mommy has to find a Christmas tree farm here. According to Sam it is going to be a "wong time" till Christmas. The reality is that Thanksgiving is next week! Can you believe that? Where has time gone.....

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

I have been tagged.

In the past, when I have been "tagged" I have taken off running after the person that just "tagged" me. However, since I am not playing childish games at the moment (though I was earlier) and I can't run after someone 1,000s of miles away, I suppose it is a different kind of tag.

So, here are the rules: Link your tagger and list these rules on your blog; tell seven random facts about yourself on your blog; tag seven people at the end and link their blogs; let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Since everyone who reads this blog knows me, thinking of 7 random facts isn't all that easy....but I am stuck inside on a frigid winter day. Might as well give it a go, right?

1. In high school, my friend Caroline and I would switch instruments (she played the flute and I played the clarinet) to see if our band director would notice. Yes, I could play the flute (some) and she could play the clarinet (some). Once, we went one whole period before he noticed.

2. I once flushed noodles down the toilet at Olive Garden. It was a total "Christa" moment. I needed to go to the ladies room and had leftovers with me. As I was getting my purse ready and picking up my left over box, I dropped the box. The box hit the floor and broke. My chicken parm and noodles landed with a plop in the toilet. I couldn't leave it for the next person to find (gross). I thought about just flushing the whole mess, but visions of over running toilets flashed through my mind. So, I used the broken box as chop sticks and fished the chicken out of the toilet (without touching anything with my hands). I threw away the chicken in the "feminine product" container (what, like you would have walked out of the stall with dripping chicken between Styrofoam "chop sticks"?) and just flushed the noodles.

3. I love music. Any and all kinds. My kids have to listen to everything from Classical to Country, Christian to marching band music. Right now my favorites are Thistle Hair the Christmas Bear (Alabama) and Breakfast of Tiffany's (Deep Blue Something).

4. My favorite item in my whole house is my Nanny's (I called my grandmother Nanny) china cabinet. I made the movers crate it, so it wouldn't get broken. If I go more than a week without dusting it, I can see the look of disgust that would have been on her face. Her house was always clean as a pin. When I open it, I still think it smells like her house. I know this isn't possible, but I still can smell "Nanny's house" in it. Sometimes, I open it just to remember what her house smelled like. And all the memories that flood open with that smell.

5. I rub my hands together really fast when I get cold. I think I picked this habit up from my mom. I know in my mind that it doesn't make me warmer, but it feels like I am doing something to warm up. Sometimes that is all you need....to feel like you are doing something to warm up.

(Wow, already at 6...this wasn't as hard as I thought)

6. I love to read. Anything and everything (okay not the huge detailed history books that Wade likes...oh yeah and not Tom Clancy). Some of my recent favorites are: anything by John Jakes (historical fiction), anything by Nicholas Sparks, Les Miserables, anything by Jane Austin, and the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pant series. I know, completely random stuff.

7. I know that I have the best friends in the whole wide world. Friends, that still call at nap time, just because they I know I need someone to talk too. Friends, that I can be apart for a year at a time from and still pick right back up where we left off. Friends, that know me better than I know myself (and know when I REALLY need a milkshake). Friends, that love me even though I am klutzy and random....and even though I moved away.

So, now I guess I need to "tag" people. Can't "tag" 7...because I don't know that many.

Sarah
Ellen
Sharmaine

"Ice In"...

A chilly afternoon to you all!

However, I have heard from quite a few sources (LOVE my nap time phone calls from the south) that is quite chilly down south as well. Glad I can share some of the northern weather love with you all.

Do you remember in my second post, I wrote about our first visit to MN sans kids? It was in April and I was so amazed that it was still "ice in". Meaning, the lakes still had ice in them. To the locals there are two ways to classify the year, "ice in" and "ice out". So, it was "ice in" in April.

Well folks, it seems to be that I have witnessed full circle. Though we have only lived here 6 months (can you believe we have been here THAT long, 1/2 a year?) we are back to where we started....."ice in" again.

These are pictures of our pond, again. Now it is totally frozen over and has some left over snow on it. I wouldn't trust it to support a stick, much less a person...yet. But, it is frozen. In November. That means, we have until the end of April/beginning of May to have "ice out". Wow, that's a really long time from now.

According to the neighbors, this is a skating pond in the winter. I promise I will try and take pictures of people skating on it. Those people will not be myself or my family, but people all the same.

Disclaimer: These pictures were taken from my warm and toasty 4 season porch. As much as I love ya'll.....not about to step outside just to take a picture!!

"Dear Fader (Father)"

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Not only do I think that is the cutest prayer ever, I also think I have the cutest fireman ever.

And the sweetest winterized and ready to go to church little girl ever.

Here is a rare shot of the two of them where they are both smiling.

Where do homesick people for the south go?

To Cracker Barrel of course!

Did you know that Cracker Barrel is the same in Minnesota as it is back south? Complete with the Country Store, Southern cookin', and SWEET TEA!!!! In case you were wondering, we looked around and noticed no one had sweet tea but us.

Yes, we drove about 20 miles for dinner last night. It has been a hard couple of weeks for me. It has been cold and snowy and it only going to be colder and more snowy. I have been homesick for warmth and sun. Homesick for friends and family. Homesick for Chickfila and sweet tea.

So, Wade took us to Cracker Barrel to solve all the problems for me. I am sure I am probably the only person to ever tear up in a Cracker Barrel. It was so much like home. Isn't that sad? I just said that Cracker Barrel was like home. Have I really stooped that low?

The kids had a great time. Maddie remembers going to Cracker Barrel and browsing in the store while we waited for our table in Georgia (and driving back and forth to NC). However, there isn't a run on Cracker Barrel here (more people that I thought, but not like in the south) so we didn't have but a 5 minute wait. They both ate enough biscuits to kill a rhino. Next time we are only going to order them 1 children's meal to split. Neither one came close to finishing their meal. That is rare for Sam.

I guess memories of Cracker Barrel will have to carry me through until I can go home at Christmas. I am recalling the taste of the sweet tea as I look out the window at snow, again. Somehow it doesn't seem so cold outside and I think I can see that southern sun just peaking out of a cloud. Don't worry, I won't check to be sure. I'll just hold tight to the thought that it is out somewhere.

The "Turkey Incident"

Okay, I guess I opened up this Pandora's box myself with my reference to the "Turkey Incident". I didn't realize I had referenced it until the comments came in. Guess it is only fair to share the "Turkey Incident" with my peps, huh?

Before I explain the "Turkey Incident", I need you to think back to your childhood. Think back to when you were in elementary school. Were you the kind of child that didn't care if they forgot something that were suppose to bring to school, or were you the kind that got very upset at the thought of not having something the teacher expected you to have. I was the later. Actually, as I found out through the "Turkey Incident" I still am the later. Needless to say, my daughter follows suit. We are both pleasers. Always wanting to do what is right and expected of us. Always having a hard time dealing when we fall short.

The "Turkey Incident" begins on a dark and dreary night.....just kidding. The "Turkey Incident" began on a snowy Wednesday morning when Maddie's teacher thrust some papers in my hand as we were leaving. Informing us, that by the way, she didn't have school on Friday. For what reason, I have no idea. You may remember that this was the Friday I took her to the MOA for Mommy Maddie time. Back to the Turkey.

In these papers was an outline of a Turkey on a piece of paper. I gather you were suppose to color and or decorate the turkey, but since there weren't any directions I wasn't sure. You see I am a direction follower....to a tee. I have to have direction. I don't fly well on my own, but give me directions (in my language that I can follow) and I soar. This was the beginning of the my Turkey problems.

Since the fore mentioned Turkey didn't have directions, I put it in the back of my brain. Also, since Maddie didn't have school the next Friday, thus the fore mentioned Turkey couldn't be brought back to school until the following Monday, I pushed the Turkey farther back until the abyss of my brain. What can I say, I had more important things to think about.....Mommy/Maddie time, working on finding the guest bedroom (my catch all room during the unpacking process), Christmas shopping, Thanksgiving, etc, etc. Can you see where this is going?

Yep, you guessed it. Monday morning dawned another gray day. I rushed to get Maddie to school, if you remember this is the day Sam and I went to Kiddiewampus and I was worried about finding it. As I was kissing Maddie goodbye, her teacher asked her where her Turkey was.

Gasp, Gulp....Butterflies in the belly along with a sinking feeling.

We had forgotten to do the Turkey. The poor Turkey (might I add it was just a piece of paper) was lying somewhere. My mind rushed and whirled to remember where I had put that Turkey. In the office? Maybe. On the washing machine (yes, I know a strange place to put a Turkey...but it becomes the resting place for lots of things as we walk in the door)? Hum, don't think so. Trash? Very likely.

Come on, admit it. You have piles too. Piles of stuff from your kids that you just really don't know what to do with. Wade says I am the queen of piles, but truth be told.....all moms do this. We have to have piles to survive. Especially if you have kids are in any form of school. The amount of dead trees, in the form of paper, that comes home is unreal.

I took a deep breath. Look the teacher in the eye. Tried to remember that I was the mother here, not the student. And proclaimed, "We forgot to do the Turkey". Didn't even mention that I wasn't sure what to do with the Turkey.

The teacher looked at Maddie and said, "Why didn't you do the Turkey." My sensitive pleasing daughter burst into tears.

May I point out again that it was just an outline of a Turkey on a piece of paper. Couldn't she have colored it quickly at school? Couldn't we have just brought it in on Wednesday? When I was teaching, I had kids forget things all the time. It really isn't worth upsetting a kid (unless they repeatedly didn't do their homework or a major project) for a piece of paper.

I told the teacher (gulp again) that it was all my fault. I was the one who forgot the (wanted to add the word stupid, but didn't) Turkey.

"Well, hump. What are we going to do about that?" said teacher? "Um, bring it in on Wednesday" I said meekly.

We finally agreed that we would bring the decorated, with things from home, Turkey (hum, finally figured out what we were suppose to do with the thing) on the following school day. Finally calmed an upset Maddie down with promises of making the best Turkey ever when she came home. And left.

I realized when I got the car that I was shaking. I am 29 years old. A mother of 2. And I was shaking because I got into trouble with a preschool teacher. Things aren't looking good for me in elementary school, are they?

End of the story, Maddie and I made the best Turkey ever. Oh yea, take that preschool. We decorated her Turkey with scraps leftover fabric. Fabric that I had used to make her jumpers, diaper bags for her and Sam, and things of that nature. She knew where every piece of fabric came from. We even gave our Turkey a bow. A bow from the left over ribbon my mom had used to make Maddie a wreath for her room. Because you know, we have to put a little Southern flair on everything.

Wednesday came and the Turkey went to school. All the Turkey is doing now to gracing the wall of the classroom. If you weren't looking for the Turkey you would never know it was there. You would never miss it even if it were.....say forgotten to be placed there.

The Stress of Brown Day

Today was brown day at Maddie's school. This caused quite the stress in the Sheek household. Why would brown day cause stress, you ask? One word. Maddie. Yep, Maddie is the reason for the stress caused over brown day.

You see, for brown day, one MUST (this according to her teachers, not Maddie) wear a brown shirt to school. After the whole forgetting the Turkey incident, I wasn't about to risk a crying child that didn't have on a brown shirt.

Stress.

Those of you who really know Maddie, my pink loving, hair bow wearing, jewelry accessorizing daughter, understand she doesn't own a brown shirt. Will not wear a brown shirt.

Stress.

I am sure that pink loving, hair bow wearing, jewelry accessorizing (should I add Southern belle to the list?) daughter would become very emotional (read throw a hissy fit) upon realizing that everyone else in the class was wearing a brown shirt. But, not until she got to school and saw for herself.

Should I mention that I was only told on Wednesday of this "Brown Day"? Should I also mention that brown shirts for girls (that don't make them look 16) are hard to come by?

Stress.

How did I solve this problem, you ask?

I found (finally) a plain, non low cut, non midriff sweater, without diamonds and jewels, that didn't cost an arm and a leg shirt.

Then, with the help of my trusty embroidery machine, slapped on some "Southern charm". That is, I embroidered Maddie's monogram in bright pink.

Wa-la, happy child with brown and hint of beloved pink shirt.

I might say, going into to school today was SO much easier with her brown shirt on. When the teacher asked "Are you wearing a brown shirt", Maddie proudly answered, "Yes, with just a wittle bit of pink."

Maddie's smile, as she said goodbye, was worth all the STRESS that the stupid brown shirt caused in the first place :)

From the mouth of babes......

Or in this case, from the mouth of Sam.

This was a recent conversation heard between Sam and myself. I will not tell you that this conversation, as do most of our important ones, occurred while he was on the potty.

Sam: What's your "dame" (name)?
Mommy: Mommy. What's your name?
Sam: Sam. Mommy you has "tipes" (stripes).
Mommy: (confused) I have stripes?
Sam: (pointing to my forehead) Right "dere" (here) you has nice "tipes".
Mommy: Sam, those aren't stripes...there called expression lines. ( trying to make a great reasonable argument for having stripes on my head) There caused by Mommy making lots of expressions with her face. (giving Sam one of my best expressions so he can see what I mean)
Sam: I "willy wee wike" (really like) your "tipes". Can I have "tipes" too?

Then Sam proceeded to furrow his brow and roll up his eyes. I guess he was trying to make those wonderful stripes on his forehead as well.

My mom ("hi mom, love you") will tell you that my expression lines are the result of rolling my eyes at people, sayings, traffic, fussy kids, etc my whole life. I say they are a result of being able to use my facial expressions to better tell stories.

Cold Snuggle Night

So, what do you do when your pond is beginning to freeze over and the sleet and snow is accumulating on your deck?

This is what we do on cold winter nights.........

1. Breakfast for supper. Nothing says warm and cozy like homemade (who am I kidding...home made with the help of a box) pancakes and eggs with cheese. Add some warm chocolate to that and......AAAHHH warms the belly.

2. Early baths and movie night.

The movie of choice this evening, The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything. It is a Veggie Tale movie. Therefore it is a hit for mom and since it is about pirates, it was a hit for my kids.

Pillows, blankets, and loveis can all come downstairs on movie night. Wouldn't be movie night without a place to snuggle in.

Of course, my heart warmed while I was all snuggled in between my two "babies". Couldn't think of a better place to be this cold and dreary night.

Good night y'all!! Hope you are surrounded by loved ones and are warm and snuggled in as you go to sleep, somewhere out there.

Winter Shows Her Ugly Head......

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY

Winter Weather Advisory. That is what is on weather.com when you look at our forecast. They have the map covered with such nice colors such as pink and blues and purples. Makes it seem so nice and innocent. But it isn't. You can color it whatever color you want. It still spells ice, snow, and treacherous roads. I am sure the locals aren't fazed. I am sure to them it is just another day in life here.

I am sure most locals aren't quite the weather connoisseurs that I am. I am sure most locals haven't even looked at the weather.

Did you know, I am NOT a local and that I am very fazed by it? Did you know that Wade is out of town and as he was leaving quickly spoke, in a language I am not familiar with, going over how to operate the snow blower? Did you know I haven't the foggiest idea on where the oil versus the gas goes much less how to operate the huge contraption?

Deep breath.



Okay, I can do this. And yes the idea of accumlination of snow while we are "Wade-less" gives me the willies. Hey, don't forget I am southern born and bred. We handle droughts and heat waves with style......snow and ice isn't in our blood. And don't forget, I am still rather new at this whole winter thing.



I'm not running to the store for "milk and bread". Maybe I am acclimating after all.



Maybe just maybe I will have that snow blower up and running all by myself.



Or, maybe just maybe the weather forecast is really wrong and it is going to be 60 degrees and sunny today?



One can always hope, right :)

Kiddiewampus

Yes, that is the actual name of where Sam and I went today. We had a Mommy and Sam day (with Ms. Kim and Shawn) while Maddie was at school. Kiddiewampus is a really neat hands on toy store. The clerk of the store actually encouraged the boys to play with and ride on the toys that were out. I don't know about you, but usually I spend my time trying to get my kids to NOT touch anything. This store was a welcome reprieve from the constant "No Touch" I usually am saying.

However, playing with toys wasn't the purpose of our visit. They actually have "Open Studio" hours at their children's art studio. Sam and Shawn had a blast painting, stamping, cutting, and coloring. Kim and I enjoyed letting them go "free" with the art without having to worry about cleaning up.

On another note, I "lost" my kids in the house today. I heard them playing and then all was quiet. Red flags always go up when my kids get quiet. 99.9% of the time quiet equals someone doing something they shouldn't while the other eagerly eggs them on. So, I went through the house looking for them. I wasn't worried since they can't open the doors to the outside, like Sam could at the apartment, nor can they take an elevator, like Sam tried to do at the apartment, and end up in the abyss of apartment floors. I finally found them.......

Sneaky little boogers, aren't they? No, Sam isn't flipping the camera off as it appears in the picture. He is actually covering his mouth so that I can't hear him laugh. I don't think he realizes I can see him or that covering his mouth isn't hiding the cackles coming out of it :)

We sure aren't in Georgia anymore.....

This is what we awoke to this morning........

Now, had we been in Georgia (this wouldn't have been the snowy scene out the window) we would have snuggled in for the day after first running to the store for "milk and bread". How you are suppose to really survive a "blizzard" with only milk and bread, I am not sure. Apparently that is all us Southerners need, "milk and bread". Either that, or "milk and bread" is Southern jargon for chips, Coke, popcorn, frozen pizza, etc....what you REALLY see in the carts of people when they are calling for snow. Then again it only snows, in the south, once in a blue moon and you need to celebrate when it does.

Since we weren't in Georgia, the kids and I got all bundled up and went out. Sam had school today. Maddie did not. Don't ask, I don't know why. Sam went to school sporting his coat, hat, gloves and boots. His snow pants were tucked in his backpack. Might I add that we were late getting to school. Hard to get my southern children away from the window long enough to get dressed. Snow is a novelty for them. I have a feeling it won't be that way for long.


While Sam was at school, Maddie and I "Maddie and Mommy Time" for two glorious hours. Maddie is really a neat kid. She has a great sense of humor and LOVES to shop. However, I don't get to spend a lot of time with just her. For her M & M she chose to go MIA at the MOA (I crack myself up sometimes). For you non-locals MOA stands for Mall of America.

First on her list, she wanted to ride a "big girl" ride at the Nickelodeon park. She could only ride 1 ride so it took a while to choose. Finally, she decided on the swings. Not the baby kind of swings, but the real high and fast adult swings. She loved it. She laughed and yelled that it tickled her tummy the whole time. Since swings are my favorite ride, I thoroughly enjoyed myself as well.

After her ride, she wanted to go to "2 Be Friends". This is a place where you can make dolls (it is part of the Build-A-Bear store) and dress them. She has 2 dolls from there, so we decided to get an outfit for her smaller one. She chose a "snow princess" dress for her doll. A quick seat in the "beauty chair" and doll was all ready to go.

Maddie and I really had a great time together. She has been struggling to have a "happy heart and happy face" as I require around here. So, things have been rocky lately. It was nice to do something girly and spend time with her.

After we picked Sam up from school, we met Wade for lunch at the local McDonald's with indoor Play Place. I thought I had wore the kids out......but not so much.

When we came back home the kids decided that "willy wee" had to go outside and play in the snow. So, on went the snow pants, mittens, coats, hats and boots.....and out went the kids. It is a really wet snow, but I think they had fun all the same.

Maddie really wanted to build a snowman. By the time we made it home, most of the snow had melted (of course it is starting to snow again as I type this). We had enough snow for a small snowman. Since this is her first snowman, she thought he was great. Great enough to kiss. Hum, wonder if he was as cold, wet, and clammy to kiss as he was to make?

Hodge-Podge

Happy Monday All-

Hope your weekend was full of safe fun and that you remembered to brush your teeth after all the candy :)

Just a warning, this post is going to be a hodge-podge of this and that. Oh, to say southern sayings.....makes me feel like I am back home......Georgia home that is. I have to remember to clarify. I am trying to make a great effort to only call "new house" (as Sam says), home. Maybe that will cut down on the, "Doe Home. Where are you, Sam? Home. Doe Home, Georgia." conversation that I have billions of times a day. However, since I have it with a cute Monkey boy (that is wearing a shirt today that says "Big Trouble comes in Small Packages") I guess it isn't all that bad.

Speaking of Georgia home, we are loving the southern sun God sent to us. We had a great weekend with the beautiful weather. Who said that fall in MN was cold? It is 70 degrees today. Don't look at our 10 day forecast, though. We have a chance on snow showers on both Friday and Monday. We went to the park after Maddie had school today to try and soak in as much of that southern sun as possible.

This weekend our church....seems strange to say that an not mean NFBC. No, we haven't joined yet....we like to take our time joining churches. Last time, we only joined a few weeks before Maddie made her appearance into this world. Seeing that there aren't any more babies on our horizon....it maybe a long time (wong time, as Sam says) before we join. Anyhoo, back to what I started to say/type......this weekend at Grace Church, there was the annual Missions Festival.

Missionaries, Grace sponsored, from both the US and abroad, came to join in and share their testimonies. There was a food festival on Saturday night. We didn't go to that, but took the kids to the time of Praise and Worship after. It was complete with a 300 person (they said youth....but they didn't all look youthy to me) choir and a cool Parade of Flags (lots and lots of flags).

One of the missionaries to speak was a pastor in Baghdad, Iraq. His testimony was incredible. He has been imprisoned by Saddam's men, beaten, and his family threatened....just for worshipping the Lord. He isn't a military man, wasn't plotting to take over the country....just wanted to spread Christianity to those who were going to hell otherwise.

I wish that we could broadcast it all over the US, for it highlighted the liberation of Christians that came from US invasion. Weapons of mass destruction aside, if it weren't for the war Christians in Iraq would still be persecuted, killed, and underground. Since the invasion 4o churches have opened in Iraq. The missionary we heard is pastor of a church called "Jesus is the Light of the World". That is the name printed HUGE to display for all the world see.

The pastor also said that everyone in Baghdad called it the "capital of terrorism". I have no idea if "weapons of mass destruction" existed or not. What I do know is that the people of Iraq were living under a terrible ruler, in a country full of terrorists and without the comfort of worshipping around other Christian people. It was nice to hear all the good that we were doing in Iraq, instead of hearing all the negative surrounding that situation.

Okay, enough about my soap box. I hope that everyone has a wonderful day and is able to go and vote tomorrow.....I wasn't going to say anything about who I hope you vote for....but this is MY blog, by golly. So if I offend you by saying that I hope you vote McCain, then well...so be it. That's the great thing about living in the US of A, the whole freedom of speech thing.

Seriously, I hope the weather is nice where you are and that you have a great week!!!!