A Date With My Princess

My daughter told me last night that she "desperately needed a day with just her mom". Feeling convicted that I had let too much time lapse since our last mother-daughter outing, I was only too happy to comply. So, tonight, we went on a date.

She primped to ready herself, all aflutter in her excitement.

"Mom, do you like my hair?" she asked, to which I told her she looked beautiful. She even got to use hairspray. (I don't like her using it much herself because it ends up in one big clump.) She posed for her daddy's approval, grabbed her purse and skipped out the door.

Very much my "grown-up-little-girl" all in one.

Not eating out much at all these days, we began the special evening by going to Wendy's. Hannah was doubly treated because she even got to have some pop! She is only allowed to have pop on the rare occasion, so she felt pretty grown up tonight.

We then went to Michaels (where I took my first picture below). She "oohed" and "aahed" at so many things, proclaiming Michaels to be the best store ever, and finally bought a couple of flowers that were on sale. She paid for them herself from money in her own purse. Life was good.

We then headed to Wal-Mart. She is going to use some of her hard-earned money to buy a birdhouse/bird feeder to put in the tree outside her window. She loves the birds and could sit and watch them out of her window for ages, so we decided we might as well extend the birds an invitation to stay awhile. However, we were unsuccessful finding what we were looking for, so that search will have to continue.

Our evening ended at Dairy Queen, with a shared treat for mother and daughter.

We had such a lovely time tonight. A true marvel, this girl of mine.

One In A Million

This should win picture of the year, in my opinion (captured by my talented niece, Rachel). My 89-year-old granny. On a swing today at the park.

She joined the kids and I today. Walking into the park, she said:

"I think I'll take a bit of a swing."

Surprised, I asked her if she was serious.

"Sure," she said. "I always like to take a swing when I go to the park."

She's one-in-a-million.

I will always treasure this memory.

Amazing Grace My Chains Are Gone

I am very traditional. I love old time traditional songs, for the most part better than the "new" songs of the last decade. Generally they have more depth of meaning.

That's why I am flabbergasted that one of the most traditional songs of all time, Amazing Grace, is (in my opinion) actually improved with the added chorus of My Chains Are Gone. By Chris Tomlin (whom I don't dislike - he wrote How Great Is Our God after all) but is still one of the non-traditionalists of this last decade that I am not terribly fond of. Not the person, just the style.

To get to my point. Amazing Grace is a complete song in itself, a timeless classic. I never dreamed it needed improving or that it could be improved. It actually uses words like wretch - a word missing is songs of our day - and talks about being "blind but now seeing". But to add My Chains Are Gone is just plain genius, I think because it actually enhances the traditional song without changing it.

My husband even agrees with me, and he's even MORE traditionalist than I am.

Amazing Grace My Chains Are Gone is currently my new favourite song. I can sing with pure honesty about a God full of grace saving a wretch like me, setting me free by removing my chains.

His love is unending and His grace is amazing.

My chains are gone, I've been set free

My God, my Saviour has ransomed me

And like a flood, His mercy reigns

Unending love

Amazing grace

Spelling Of The Day

Seth to Mom:

"Mom, I'm thinking of a name that starts with "N" and ends with "oo". Can you think of what it is?"

Mom to Seth (after thinking for a bit):

"No, tell me."

Seth to Mom:

"Nancy Drew, you silly!"

Flyer Adventures

Okay. I finally have some inspiration for a post.

Three times a week the kids and I deliver flyers. It is really Hannah's route, but Seth helps (when the spirit moves him) and I go along to supervise, and help (again, when the spirit moves me). Once or twice a week we happen to meet up with our mail lady. She is a wonderful lady who takes it upon herself to know those on her mail route as much as possible. She chats with the kids and the kids love her. The last couple of times we have met up with her, it has turned into a little game for the kids. They really want to WIN (competitive children that they are....) and beat her on our route.

Good natured as she is, she tries very hard to aid the kids in their adventure. Whenever possible, she will take the kids' flyer and deliver it herself if she happens to be going to the same house. This helps the kids get ahead. I don't mind this little game at all because it spices up the monotony, and the kids get even more exercise because they run their little legs off.

Today she was catching up and was a little too "close for comfort" for Seth. He turned around and yelled at the top of his lungs,

"HURRY HANNAH! SHE'S CATCHING UP! WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE......POST-HASTE!"

Now, only Adventures in Odyssey fans will appreciate that one, but I split a gut with it because he was mimicking Eugene Meltzner.

When we got home - with the kids' having "won the race", the mail lady came around the corner of our cul-de-sac. I thanked her and then told the kids to say thank you as well.

That's when I had one of those "wishing the ground would open up and swallow me" moments.

Seth yelled:

"THANK YOU, YOU OLD MAIL LADY!"

Needless to say, he met his just reward.

Just For Fun

I've had a bit of a brain freeze lately with writing anything. So, hope y'all enjoy these comics instead.

I simply cannot relate to the above one at all......{{note: sarcasm}}

These two hilariously reflect the times we are living in.

Have a superb week, everyone!

Sad News

Sgt. Martin Goudreault

Sgt. Martin Goudreault was the latest Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan. He is the brother of one of my closest friends, Chantal Rohovich. Please remember her and her family in your prayers.

There is no greater sacrifice than of one who would lay down his life for his country and his fellow-man.

Thank you, Sgt. Goudreault. Rest in peace.