Sunday, March 29, 2009

Sharing A Poem

Today I was watching one of Soaring Amongst The Clouds' favorite movie, White Squall. Great movie by the way. A lesson could be learned by all. I suggest you watch it.

Well, in the movie the quoted part of a poem. If was a poem I'd heard in my youth, but had forgotten about it. So, I decided to google it. I was led to share it...


If

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!

-Rudyard Kipling


*note from me- I love poems, songs, stories, anything that tells a story. I'm very emotional and passionate. Feelings within me stir and burst out. I don't know why, that's just the way I am. This poem stirred many different emotions. In the end, it left me crying...

Care to share one that has spoken to you? That has stirred you?

Monday, March 09, 2009

G.I. Joe Is 15!!!


Be still my heart... my first born son is 15 today!

Since I was a little girl, all I ever wanted was to be a wife and a mom. I wanted to be just like the mom on Cheaper By The Dozen. Not the new on but the "old" one. The one that's black and white, filmed in 1950. Click here to check it out. Anyway, I wanted to have 12 children, but all before I was thirty! I just didn't want to be 30 and pregnant. Which leads me to why I'm sharing all this. On my 30th birthday, I found out I was pregnant with... yep... you guessed it... G.I. Joe.

He was an answer to three little Fair Maiden's prayers. They would constantly ask, "When are we going to have a little brother?" They would pray throughout the day... at breakfast, lunch, dinner and at bedtime. You think they wanted a brother?! LOL! They prayed faithfully for four years. I can't even begin to tell you how thrilled, ecstatic, overjoyed.... they were, when we shared the news.

It's a wonder he ever learned how to walk. They were constantly wanting to hold him and carry him. The Fair Maidens were always eager to lend a helping hand when it came to taking care of G.I. Joe. I would often find Daughter of the King sitting on the couch with him on her laps while she read to him or her sitting by his crib reading to him. Soaring Amongst The Clouds would not let any babysitter touch her brother. The Fair Maidens only allowed each other to put him to sleep, give him his bottle, feed him and change his diapers. A Prince had been born and they were there to pamper and take care of him. He was so loved.

In honor of G.I. Joe's 15th birthday, I will share 15 things about him...

* He smiles all the time and it's contagious.

* His hazel, brown eyes sparkle, and I'm not just saying that. It's the truth.

* He loves Jesus and it's evident.

* People gravitate to him.

* Easy going.

* A charmer to boot!

* Great sense of style.

* Athletic

* Catches on quick to whatever he's trying to learn.

* Humorous

* Committed

* Confident, but not conceited.

* Friendly and Fun

* Mature

* Loving and Caring

It's hard to make a list and just share 15 things about him. He has so many wonderful qualities that I love. But for now 15 is the limit.

I am so blessed that God chose me to be his mom. He has brought so much joy, happiness, fun and love to my life. Not just mine, but to the lives of the dwellers of the Castello. Not just to the dwellers of the Castello, but to those who know him. This world is a better place because of him.

Sweetie,

God has a plan for your life. Keep following the path He's laid before you and you won't go wrong. He is the Promise Keeper. He will be with you, every step of the way. Stay the course...

*I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be...


mom~

* From the book, Love You Forever. It was your favorite book when you were little. I made up a little song to that verse. I would hold you, rock you and sing it to you....

Friday, March 06, 2009

An Attempt To Catch Up!

Lately, things have been non-stop! I don't know what ever gave me the idea that things were going to slow down once I only had 2 to homeschool! LOL! MY WORD!!! I haven't been this busy since my children were wee ones!!!

Let me say this loud and clear, "I am NOT complaining!" I LOVE being a wife and a mom. I LOVE my life. I know that my children will only be with me for a moment in time. The time will come when they will get married and move away. So I am enjoying and making the most of my time with them. :o)

I'm proud to say that Soaring Amongst The Clouds made the President's List once again. In order to be on that list, you have to have a 4.0 average. Way to go Baby Girl!!! Still Waters made the Dean's List. You Go Girl!!! Daughter of the King is really enjoying this semester. She got to take some sign language classes and is LOVING it! She's so good at it.

Baseball season has started... YEAH!!! Which means that softball season has started too... YEAH!!! The Squires are playing in two teams. G.I. Joe is is playing for the Junior Little League and a local private school. The Warrior is playing for the Major Little League and the same local private school as his brother. This is the second time they'll be on the same team. I'm really excited about them playing together again.

The season has started off great. G.I. Joe is playing for the Diamondbacks Junior League. He's been pitching, catching and playing first base. He hasn't been a catcher in years, but he's enjoying it and he's doing great.

G.I. Joe started taking guitar lessons. Actually he got two free lessons from the place we bought his guitar. The instructor was more into jazz and other music that my G.I. Joe was really not into. Well, it turns out that JC has a friend who gives guitar lessons. What's even better is that he comes to our home! Which is AWESOME! The Teacher and G.I. Joe have similar taste in music. Which is working out very well. According to what The Teacher has shared with me, G.I. Joe is blessed with musical talent. He's learning at a quick pace. The Teacher said that he's not had to review anything that he's taught G.I. Joe. He picks it up the moment he's taught. Which is why he's able to learn and move on. He's been taking 1/2 hr. lessons once a week, for one month now. He's really doing a great job. I don't know how he does it, but if he hears something, he is able to "fiddle" with the guitar and come up with what he heard. It amazes me. Way to go... G.I. Joe!

The Warrior is playing for the Dodgers Minor League. He is pitching, playing center field, first base and third base. Guess he's a jack of all trades. He's having a great time. Oh, he was asked if he wanted to play in his brother's team (the private school team). At first he didn't want to play. But sometimes he needs a little nudge. So we nudged. ;o) He is LOVING it! I have NEVER seen him laugh or smile as much as he does when he's around the school team. He's really enjoying it.

My Knight is staying very busy. He is no longer President of the Little League. YEAH!!! It really was a very big commitment. If you know him personally, you know how committed he is when he commits. :o) He's a man of his word. I LOVE that about him! Well, now he's only on the Board of Directors. He's the Information Officer. He keeps the website and all the little league team information up to date. He is also The Warrior's team manager. He's AWESOME at it! Not because he's my man, but he ROCKS!!! He is also on the same softball team as Soaring Amongst The Clouds and Daughter of the King. This is the first time ever father and daughters have been on the same team! I'm so excited and so are they! I use to play with our Fair Maidens, but that was before my brain surgeries. I'm so looking forward to the games!

As for me, well... I'm driving our Squires to and from practices. Trying to keep up with the laundry! Attempting to keep Nicodemus' fluff tumblehair (tumbleweed) from tumbling through our Castello. He's a golden retriever and shed like CRAZY!!! But like I said, before I know it, my babies will be all grown and gone. So I'm making the most of it now. My cup runneth over...