My thumbs are sore from filling magazines and racking pistols.

Metal is rough on cold fingers.  And who knew a gun could take so long to clean?  Remind me never to buy a revolver.  Less complicated since you don’t take them apart, but boy can they gather a lot of soot!

 

It’s been over three weeks since I was allowed to kiss my monkey.  (That’s code for my baby sister Gracie.)  I’m still fighting this cough and of course her health is of the utmost importance for her development.  Since she learns so much by hearing, any sinus issues that could hinder said hearing should be avoided at all costs.  Thus, she is to avoid me at all costs.  Sadly, she doesn’t really get this, and sometimes comes and leans on me, and it’s torture not to grab her and squeeze her.  Being forced to just look at her without jumping in and touching her and talking in her face a bit, I’m reminded of so many things from her infancy.  Like…”windmill” was her first really big word (she said “hi” at 6 months, and of course “ma-ma” and “da” were easy firsts).  And like…I used to kiss her palms all the time.  (And I do mean all the time.)  She has the sweetest hands, and her baby palms looked just a little different than most babies’ and I just loved them.  It’s hard to believe that little jabberwalkie in there–who has recently begun singing entire songs on her own, not just parts of them–used to be a little mushy, non-mobile baby bug.  She became my monkey when she got mobile and discovered she liked climbing on anything and everything.  Over was always better than around.  She’s come so far, and she constantly amazes us with her level of intelligence.  Now that she’s starting to communicate so much better, we’re realizing just how much is really going on beneath those blond curls.  And that’s another thing…most Downs children don’t have curly hair.  How neat that God gave us one who does!

 

 
 

             this year has started as a journey of faith…

            call Him Immanuel,
                       “God with us”

I’ve calmed down a bit about the Cowboy’s loss.  It’s not just the whole Romo-Simpson thing. 
The entire team just seemed to fall apart.  I still think women are just plain distracting for Tony.
Either he’s pickin’ the wrong girls, or the timing is just not in his favor.  For 67 million  he
ought to be able to pull his head out of the clouds.  I don’t even think keeping Jessica away
from the games will help.  I think we need to keep her out of his head.  My dad keeps telling me how
badly a beautiful woman can zap a man’s sense.  I think we saw Exibit A last week. 
It’s not just her (although, personally, I have some issues with her anyway), it’s all women. 
Just keep them away from Tony until the season is over! 
I know, I know…one loss is not the end of the world.  But it’s not that Eagles were so good. 
We were just horrible.  Anymore like that and I’ll believe a first-round bye was a total waste.

Okay…*deep breath*…I’m over it.  On to real life, my life.

During the rainstorm this morning, God sent one loud crack of thunder to wake me up.  Just one.
Thunder is not unusual in these parts when a front is threatening the coast.  Neither is it strange for
there to be no thunder.  But to thunder once?  It is a scandal from which our household has yet to recover.

Sonya and I watched “Curious George” last night while everyone else had their outings and concerts.
The other children were stunned that she might possibly see a movie before they did.  (Gotcha.)
It was so much fun to sit with her–just the two of us together–and listen to her giggle about George
eating fireflys.

I’m glad it’s rainy.  I have presents to wrap.  And the dark cloudiness makes it feel more like
Christmastime.  Somehow it’s easier to believe it’s getting cold when it’s storming.  At least
the forcast for the temperature on Christmas day has gone down ten degrees.

You know in that song where it says

     “…please have snow and mistletoe,
        and presents on the tree…”

Well, we actually have some on our tree.  Every year the children try to figure out how many presents
are actually small enough for the branches to hold.  I love it.  It’s amazingly nostalgic.

    Christmas is coming, the goose it getting fat
    Please put a penny in the old man’s hat
    If you haven’t got a penny then a ha’penny will do
    If you haven’t got a ha’penny then God bless you
   

Excuse me???

I can’t seem to get anyone to agree definitively so far,
but I’m still arguing my case and haven’t lost yet:
 
    I think girlfriends jinx Tony Romo.

If you will recall, last year’s second game against the rival Eagles,
what should have been a blow-out for all our Cinderella-team advancements,
turned out to be a crushing disappointment as we flung our way to the end of the regular season
and lost to them  23-7.

And guess who was in the stands watching Tony play–
none other than his new friend Carrie Underwood!
(Who became later something of a girlfriend.)
He had a horrible game.  In fact, no one had ever seen him play so poorly. 
I was sure it had something to do with the blond distraction in the box.
I wanted so badly to march up to Dallas and box his ears.
But everybody deserves a second chance, right?

Apparently he hadn’t had enough of being humiliated in front of his women.

This year, it was Jessica Simpson.
And whether or not the rumors are true about Thanksgiving dinners with each others
families and picking out engagement rings with sisters…she was there.
Wearing his jersey number, dancing like…a word I won’t say (at least her clothing covered her),
and waving coyly to “someone” on the sidelines.
And he had the worst game of his career.

DUDE!
How do you not see the pattern??
Forget the injuries, the dropped passes, the thumb issue.
This guy could not get in his groove!
He was HORRIBLE! 
(Forget not that I speak of my own favorite.)
What, did she hurt him in a game of thumb-wars or something?

Last year on Christmas day he was 14 of 29 for 142 yards.
Today he was a wretched 13 of 36, for a few more yards but no TDs.
I don’t even want to guess what his passer rating is after this game.

All I can say is, he needs to drop the women until after the season.
I know for some guys, their woman is what they fight for, whether it be on the field,
in the office, or whatever. That relationship gives them motivation.
This suggestion was made to me last week after the crazy win over the Lions.
Well…either it doesn’t work that way for him, or she ain’t the right one.

Somebody please knock some sense into this guy!!!

somehow, life hasn’t slowed down since school ended.
or maybe i’m just wasting more time.

one more week of school.
i’m horrified to find myself considering not studying for one last test.
such an easy subject, hydrotherapy.
i nearly aced the “hardest” test last week, i should be able to beat this one.
well, maybe i can, but i’ve recently made it my goal in life to beat into submission my lazy self.
so, down, temptation!
out, wretched weakness!
i will conquer myself, and
these final three days of classes.

then on to intern clinics!
working in “the real world”
on real, unpredictable, total strangers.
joy.
at least my friends can come help me get my hours.
i’m so ready for all this to be done.

and i’m sooo ready for my lip to heal (canker sore).
it seems to want to get worse before it get’s better.
even talking hurts so i’m not, which, if you know me at all,
you’ll understand is nearly as much torture as the pain.
God has found multiple ways of teaching me silence over the past years.
i desperately need to learn to listen.

what an amazing God we serve.
the best news i’ve ever heard is that
     He does not deal with us according to our sin!

         sometimes I feel like I’m drowning.
           always something that must be done.
               always growth that desperately needs to happen.

            eating doesn’t help.  sleeping doesn’t make it go away.
          i am left with facing it all, and doing as much as i can with the time i’ve got.
 
  thank God i’m not the only one interested in my future…

    the hair is going really, really soon.
    i’m threatening to do something to it myself,
    and i’m not sure how short i’ll end up.

     “…one never knows…”

side note:  SCHOOL’S DONE FOR THE WEEK!!!!!
(I could scream I’m so happy.)