MAWAGE.

Yep, mawage is going to bring some of my closest college friends togever this weekend. Jess is getting married! Woohoo! "Congrat's to you both and we love you!"

Jess and Kelly

Here's a picture of Matt and I on our wedding day. I don't think I have a good one of the two of us on CD yet, costs too much to get them put from film to CD. This is the best I could do. I looked at my wedding dress last night and wished it still fit. It's so pretty I want to wear it to Wal-Mart or something. Yah, you laugh, but I would fit right in and you know it!!!

Pinky & the Brain Spin Off

Me: "Gee Cooper, what do you want to do tonight?"
Cooper: "The same thing we do every night, Mom- try to take over the world."
"HAHAHAHAHHA"

G.P.S.

This weekend we attended Matt's cousin's wedding in Wichita, KS and it was going to be our first time totally relying on the Garmin Nuvi G.P.S I bought Matt for Father's Day. We had used it around town, but we didn't have to rely on 'Jill' (that's one of the names of the voices) to get us there.

Saturday afternoon, we load up, set the destination and off we go taking every turn Jill tells us to make. We arrive at a 'T' in the road and Jill says, "turn right", so we do. She tells us our next turn is in 2miles. I ask Matt if she was right, if he had looked at a map before we left? "No, you told me not to." This is true, I did. I told him what was the point of buying a G.P.S. if he was going to look ahead of time.

So we turn right and go through this little town. Neither of us said anything, but we both were thinking, "I hope Jill really knows where she's taking us." She did because we arrived at the church at 4:15pm and the wedding was at 5:00. We would have arrived at 4:14pm, but we missed our turn and Jill had to "recalculate."

At the wedding, Matt's dad was asking about the Nuvi and if we like it yada yada yada. I heard Matt reply, "It's cool, but it sure is hard putting all your faith in a little machine to get you where you need to go."

On our way home, Jill sent us in a different direction than the way we came. Matt was concerned, "This isn't the way we came."

I told him, "You can turn around and go the other way, but Jill won't do us wrong." We ended up turning around and making her take us the way we came. (I had the settings set differently for on the way home. That's why she had us going another route.)

"Sure is hard putting all your faith in a little machine to get you where you need to go."

I repeated those words to myself last night. Then it hit me! It's easier for me to trust Jill, the voice in a machine, than it is to trust God, the Creator of the world! Jill says, "Turn right on US-166 in 38 miles." Joyfully and willingly I say, "OK Jill, I believe you."

Here's the kicker. God says, "Megan, trust me and (fill in the blank)." I say, "What? Are you sure? Maybe you need to recalculate God."

Kind of a slap in the face for me. It's a great analogy. How many people like me are more apt to put their trust in their G.P.S. for guidance and not put their trust in God? The One who doesn't need coordinates in order to get us where he wants us.

Hold the Fat please...

See these two beautiful faces?

Oh do I love those faces.

Ohh do I hate what they've done to my body. I have a wedding to go to tomorrow and next weekend (sigh). I'm looking forward to them both, but I wish I didn't have to wear any clothes. As odd as it sounds I think I would feel better about the skin and flab if I were naked.

I got my toes done this evening with a friend (thanks Jenn). After that I was told by Matt to go to the mall and try to find some things to wear ie. dress, shorts & anything I might like. How many husbands tell their wives to go shopping and to make sure to come home with something to wear? Not many. Did I come home with something to wear? NOPE!!

I walk into the 'mall' and my mission is to leave with at least one wearable item. I go to Gap. La D da, I grab a dress that is fitted just below the boobs and kind of flares out. I wanted that style to hide my baby hips. I also grab a white skirt and a camisole and drag my feet walking to the fitting rooms; I know how this is going to end. I put on the dress with the cami, squeeze my boobs into it and zip it up. "Maybe it will look better without the cami," I say to myself. I take the cami off and it still looks like I'm trying to smuggle something out of the store under my dress and it also looks like I've go two jiggly balloons of unequal size under the top portion (boob region) of the dress. Keep in mind I'm pasty white, and my arms jiggle as much as my uneven boobs. I've been doing push ups; to no avail. I've also been eating fruit and plain yogurt. I'll take a bite, dry heave, take a drink of water and start the steps over again. I can't get myself to enjoy eating fruit.

Back at the fitting rooms. I take the dress off, who am I kidding? I try on the skirt. I looked like an extra large marshmallow perfect for roasting. I take it off, put on my sports bra, t-shirt and capris and head to Dillard's. I am try to find Spanx. "I am going to have to squish everything down." I say.

No Spanx. I walk to JC Penny's, looking for Spanx.

Nope. I ask the elderly sales woman, "Do you have Spanx?"

"Uhh, no."

"Do you know what I'm talking about, the form fitting flaw hiding thing?"

"Yeah I know what you're talking about but I've never heard of that brand."

Say what? I just walk away.

I stop by Hallmark on my way out of the 'mall.' Maybe I can find a new diaper bag? DENIED YET AGAIN! I don't think I could have come home with something if it were given to me.

It's only been 2.5 months since I delivered my sweet boy, but goodness it's hard not feeling good about your body.

There will be more complaining at a later date. ;)

Vaccines II

Cooper got 2 vaccines today! I got a doctor to agree to work with me on the schedule. We go back in one month for 2 more. My dad sent me an article from CNN.com on vaccinations. Check it out.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/family/06/19/ep.vaccines/index.html

Vaccines

Let me say upfront, I am for vaccination, but not against anyone who chooses not to vaccinate. I take the approach of, 'you do what you want with your children and I'll do what I want with mine and I will still love you.'

Cooper went to his 2 month appointment today, he's 2 weeks late which is my fault. Right around his 2 month visit I mentioned to a friend about vaccines. I can't even remember exactly what I said or how the conversation came about, but she mentioned Dr. Sears' book 'The Vaccination Book.' I had never heard of him or the book. I liked what she said the book was about; it was exactly what I was looking for, so I rented it from the library.

I put of Cooper's initial visit so I could be educated when I walked in there and said, "I would like to do the Alternative Vaccination Schedule please." I wanted to make sure I had my answers in case the Dr. wanted to question me about my choice. I will not go into the rigamarow on what the schedule is, but basically Cooper gets all his shots, just in different order and at different times.

Here is my conversation with Dr. Mc today. I'll set the scene. He has just finished examining Cooper and he's telling me how big he's getting and how great he looks blah blah blah. He turns his back to me to grab the chart and I say
"Cooper is supposed to get his shots today. Have you heard of Dr. Sears' Alternative Schedule for shots? I'd like to do that." The dr. starts making certain movements that either meant two things. One he thought that was a great idea or two he thought that was a terrible idea. I guess it meant number two, here's the rest in short.
"AAP puts out their schedule of when a child should be vaccinated blah blah blah and BLAH." He basically recited the stuff you hear on TV.
"I am not eliminating vaccines, I just want to reorder them. Like put off polio and Hep. B, those aren't important to him know and I want him to just get DTaP and Rotavirus today. He'll get the others at 3 months."
I guess he didn't listen because he says, "AAP puts out their schedule and that is what I go by and always will; I will not stray from it at all. I feel if a child doesn't get vaccinated for Pc and they get sick then it is my fault."
"How would it be your fault. That choice and blame falls on the parents ultimately, just like if he/Cooper gets sick from something because I postponed the shot, it's my fault. I wouldn't blame you. And let me clarify. I am not eliminating anything, he would get the Pc shot, just at 3 months not 2. He WILL get all his shots."
"Well, ok I just can't change."
"That's fine, just like you won't change, neither will I."
"Then I guess we agree to disagree."
"I guess so."
He then tells me how he will still be Cooper's dr. and I should go to the health department if I want to do that schedule. He also tells me, "I at least don't do like most dr.'s when a parents says that are not going to vaccinate, I will still see their child."
I just said "ok", there was no point in blurting out the double talk in that comment. I figured I'd call another dr. in the same building. My friend goes to him and she said he is open to the different schedule.

If you are curious about the book it's called The Vaccine Book by Dr. Sears. It really is a great book. There is so so so much info in it, but I feel like you would be all the wiser to educate yourself on what exactly is going into your child, you might be surprised, I was. FYI I AM vaccinating my child, don't worry and remember if you choose not to as Ross would say when Rachel says, "We are soooo over Ross!" He turns and says, "Ah oh ah oh! FINE BY ME!!!"

Nomads

If you know me, you know that in the almost 6 years I've been married to Matt we have moved 7 times! That's counting the little moves, like we had to live with Matt's youngest brother for about a month (long story) then we lived at the Holiday Inn. in Winona, Minnesota for almost 2 months (Matt had training). So I consider us very nomadic, however I thought we had left the nomadic life when we moved to Bartlesville. I was wrong.


A few weeks ago, Matt applied for a new/different position within Fastenal. This position would take us to the Owasso area, or thereabouts. He applied and the both of us knew if he didn't get it, then that was fine, it would be what God wanted and if he got it that was fine as well because again, it would be what God wanted. I was nervous, only because change can be nerve wracking. I am a girl who doesn't like change and my whole life has been dealing with sudden changes, you would think I would be used to it know; I'm not.


We found out last night that Matt did get the job! He's very excited and I'm very nervous. I'm mainly nervous for him, I know he can do it, I just get nervous. You want your husband and or kids to be successful and thrive in what ever they do and it's normal to be nervously excited for their new challenges.


What was great, was when we applied we 100% believed that what ever was to happen was going to be the best plan for us. We were looking at it this way: God has already decided who is getting the job,we're just willing to go or stay where he puts us. Our life story consists of getting comfy followed by a move. ;) Good thing Matt used to work for a moving company. Boy he sure knows how to pack a truck! I told you ladies before I have the best husband! ;)


We probably won't move until the fall. I say that, but like I said my life is full of changes, so don't get too comfy.

The Return of the Frog(s)

I have a frog that has been hanging around our house since the torrential rains started just over a week ago. This evening, I opened the door to see just how bloody hot it really was (it was awful by the way) and I look down on our 'Welcome' mat and this is what I saw...

When I got outside to take his picture I scared him and he started hopping away. I attempted to get him to hop on my hand, which he did. He then proceeded to hop up my arm, onto my back and then onto our porch post.

As we, Matt and I, were trying to get his picture I look to my right and notice ANOTHER frog and Matt is about to crush him! I began to panic and by doing so I freak Matt out; he doesn't know why I am spazing out. I can't get the words, "Watch out! I think that is another frog!" out of my mouth. He lifted his foot and then put it down, I felt like someone put a knife through my heart; I thought he killed it. I was going to be sad. I said, "YOU KILLED HIM!"

"Calm down Megan, he's right there." he says completely annoyed by my psychoticness over these frogs. What Matt doesn't understand is I stay at home all day and it's the little things in life that I find joy and distraction in. Like the red bird on Friday, who ate the ginormous worm in our back yard. I saw him attack and eat that worm like a snake eating a sheep. (I have pictures of the snake, see the end of this blog) I need my neighbors to be crazy and I need the wildlife to continue to come around or else I am going to go crazy.

.

Here is the second frog. They are starting to turn from brown to green, which proves my theory of them being a type of tree frog; and the tips of their 'fingers.'

This is a picture of one of the two frogs. I took this about a week ago, notice he used to be brown.

I am going to warn you about the pictures of the big snake. He looks like something you would see in a scary movie. These pictures were sent to me and there is a story behind it. Apparently a sheep farmer, not around here, kept losing sheep and he didn't know what was getting them. Then one day he discovered the snake stuck under the fence. The reason he got stuck? He has a sheep in his belly. You can see the bulge in the second picture.

Happy Father's Day

Well, I want to apologize to all the woman out there because I am sad to tell you that I married the most wonderful man in the world and you all missed out! ;)

Matt you are an amazing amazing and funny father. Our kids are so blessed to have you as their dada. Chloe adores you. As soon as you step foot in the door, her world gets better. You are her love, even though she tells you to 'go away' while she eats.

Cooper loves his daddy as well and I know if he could talk that's what he would say. When he smiles and coos at you I know you feel in your heart the love he has for you.

Thanks honey for all you do for our family. I wish there was a better way to say it, but there isn't, although I tried by getting you that fancy GPS. Did it work?

Love ya babe.

Cardboard Sinner

A good friend of mine sent this email to me as a forward. I 9 times out of 10 will delete a forward, but this one time I opened it b/c the friend never forwards, so I knew it was good. I'm glad I opened it, but make sure you have your tissues.




I would need many pieces of cardboard to confess my sins. Here are a few...

Tend to believe God
is NOT on my side
The other side reads
He's showing me
everyday that He IS!

I WORRY
The other side reads
I am taking those
thoughts captive

What does your cardboard read; both sides?

Frogs!!

On Saturday, which seems like forever ago, I woke up early ready to go. Usually I struggle to get out of bed, but I must have gotten some really good sleep. I fed Cooper at 7:00am, cleaned up around the house, got myself cleaned up, cooked breakfast, drank some coffee and headed out to Sunfest.

On my way out the door, I realized I forgot something, so I went back into the house and this is what I saw on the screen door handle.

Mr. Little Frog, or as Chloe says, "rog." Too cute. Her ribbit is even cuter.

On my way back out of the house for the second time I decide to look down.

That is the one that didn't get away. Poor guy, I felt awful all morning; no joke. I think I even teared up once I got into the truck and Matt couldn't see me. After seeing my destruction, I thought I should save the one on the handle. I had him crawl on my hand so I could put him in our bushes.He sure is a cute little guy/girl. He's not your normal frog. I think he is some sort of tree frog. He had unique tree frog feet. I also turned my hand upside down to see if he would fall off; he didn't, she stuck to me like glue. It was really neat.

On Monday or Tuesday morning, what ever day it rained so much, I pulled the blinds up for Chloe to look outside and there on the window was Mr. Little Frog!! I was so excited, I took a ton of pictures. They aren't fantastic, seeing as how he is the size of a nickel and my camera had a hard time focusing on him.

He's been hanging around the house all week! He will probably make another appearance if it rains tonight and/ or tomorrow.

I'm BACK!!

Due to some recent Internet technical difficulties, I have been without Internet since Monday morning. My thanks to ATT for fast delivery, but I do believe had I started walking to where ever ATT is located (India, Carribean) I could have gotten there before an associate answered the phone; I had to call them four times!! I think I used just about ALL of my rollover minutes. It really wasn't that bad being without, the only thing I was needing was my email. I ordered Cooper's crib last week and had been anticipating an email telling me it arrived at the store AND I got Matt a Father's Day/I Love You gift; needed email to verify everything.

That's all.. Stay tuned for pictures and stories. They've been bottled up for a few days!!

The Bargain Box

Before kids I had, what I feel was, a nice body. After kids I have, what I feel is, not so much. So before Cooper was born, I decided to get rid of my 'pre-kids' clothing. I mean lets face it people, I am not going to get into spring/summer clothes before September 21, or whenever fall is. I am just being realistic. A local store, Bargain Box, will take your seasonal clothes, put them up for sale and if any of them sale within I think 3 months, they will mail you a check for the amount. If none of them sale, then it is considered a donation. Not a bad deal.

I took some really really nice clothes up there. I hated letting them go but I was facing a hard truth. I was going to put them up for sale on e-bay, but who knows if they will sell and e-bay can be time consuming. I may spend 2 hours typing a description and may make $1.00; not worth it. Taking my clothes to this place, I may get money and if I don't then it's a donation.

Yesterday, I got an $11.48 check in the mail!! It doesn't seem like very much considering I probably took a couple hundred dollars worth of clothing, but seriously, this was so much easier. I plan on taking my spring/summer maternity clothes and some baby girl clothes up there this week. Hopefully, someone will buy those!

This place is non-profit, look for a place like that in your town!

Chloe Eating

Hello friends... Below is a clip of Chloe eating in her new chair. Since receiving this magnificent gift from her parents, she has become extremely bossy. As her caregiver, I will lift her into her chair, sometimes she climbs up, then I will place her 'made to order' meal in front of her and this is the thanks I get. Listen closely to her boss me around. If you don't understand her read below the video.

Yes, that is my daughter. She is telling me to 'go away.' You are asking, "Where did she learn that?" I have no idea, we don't tell her to go away, nor do we tell each other. Too funny. The first time she told me that I couldn't believe my ears. I didn't know she knew those words. We just crack up, inside of course.

Like My Mommy

Like my mommy, I love to eat ice cream.

Like my mommy, I make sure to get every last drop.

Like my mommy, I will do almost anything to get that last drop. Even if that means tapping my bowl on my tray so everything comes out.

Like my mommy, I love to eat ice cream.

Thank You!

I sit here. I just hit the Publish Post button which posted my thoughts on my high school reunion; I begin to think. (watch out) The reality of Cleveland is; I should be thankful. If it hadn't been for two teachers, I may not have become a Christian.

Flashback over 10 years...

There was a group of us girls who ran around together. We were lucky enough to get into Oklahoma History together. (Who every arranged that must of hated the teacher.) Everyday we were told, "Girls, be quiet." Finally, the teacher separated us. (hello? finally)

Summer before my senior year... That same teacher (he was also a FB coach) and another teacher (my softball coach) asked if I would be interested in going to an FCA Summer Camp. I told them yes. Two went from my school, a guy and myself.

The camp we attended was FCA's Leadership Camp. What an amazing place and organization.

It was at that camp where the Heavens rejoiced!! My name was written. I got saved.

If it hadn't been for Coach Rhoads and Coach Boomer; I may not have what I have or be where I am. Their decision to send me I'm sure was a tough one for Coach Boomer. It was in his class I was probably rude (laughing too much). He must of seen something in me or was talked into sending me by Coach Rhoads. That moment in time when they said, "Let's send Megan and Mark," changed my life.

Flash to college...

I went back to Cleveland during my freshman year in college and spoke to the FCA group. God was working. It was at that meeting where I met an FCA Staff guy, Kize, and he invited me to be a huddle leader for the same camp that saved me!!! So the summer after my freshman year in college (1999) and for the next 2 years, I spent my summers volunteering at FCA Camps across Oklahoma and Colorado! I met amazing people, made life long friends (you know who you are) and changed lives!!!

All because two people believed in me despite my juvenile flaws.

High School Reunion

Yep, it's been ten lovely years since I graced the halls of Cleveland High.

I told a friend recently that she was crazy for going back to attend her high school reunion... I guess I am crazy as well. The day I graduated was the day I said, "I won't be back."

About a month ago, I got a small packet of papers in the mail listing the weekends events, times and locations. I was to fill it out and return it to the 'reunion organizers.' I put it aside and didn't think twice about it; I wasn't going. There was one person that could get me to go. I didn't think she was going, I thought the 'organizers' weren't going to find her.

Then a few weeks ago, the phone rang...

"Megan? It's Alicia! How are you?" (She is my best bud from high school.)

"I'm doing good, how are you?"

"I'm doing good. Hey, are you planning on going to the reunion?" she asks already knowing my answer.

"I hadn't planned on in, why are you going?"

"Weellll, I thought I might, if you're going." (She's trying to talk me into it.)

We chit-chat for a little bit, she tells me the pros to going and...

"OK, I guess I'll go if you plan on being there." I say knowing Matt isn't going to be excited.


So because she's going and I haven't seen her and others in a long time, I will be attending my ten year reunion. I've been thinking and reflecting and wondering why it is I am so against my reunion; I can't come up with a reason. I think I just love my life now and high school was 'soooo high school.' It will be nice to see people though, most all of them I haven't seen since I graduated or soon there after. When I left Cleveland I rarely went back. There were a few people I kept in touch with, but most of them I haven't really spoken with in a few years. It will be nice to see every one's little family's; I'm excited to show off mine! I've got 2 months to get 'Cooper weight' off... As of last week I had 15lbs!!! (arg) Seems like a ton, but I gained almost 30, so I'm half way there!

Anyone else plan on going to their high school reunion?