Okay, I know that pride cometh before a fall, but I just have to brag on two of my guys a little bit.
First Joe. I recently posted about some of the events that have transpired since our fire in January. Joe and I have gotten all sorts of advice as to how to handle the situation, most of the advice being along the lines of suing and getting "everything you can get." Joe and I were never comfortable with that idea, yet we knew that we needed to recoup our losses somehow. The very same day that I posted the fire update on my blog, I was contacted by the property owners next door. They wanted access to our property to take pictures and examine the damage for themselves. I let them in the gate and they looked over everything. They wanted to speak with Joe directly so that evening when he got off of work we went over and met with them.
To make a long story short, Joe told them that he was willing to work together to get things fixed and that we were not out to ruin anyone over an accident. I was so proud of the way my husband let go of his pride and was able to calmly deal with the situation. I do believe that God worked in their hearts as well as ours so that we could resolve this issue. We worked out an agreement that is suitable for everyone and the repairs should start the end of April. I think the most important outcome is that Joe and I walked away with a clear conscience and feeling that our Christian testimony was still intact.
Now on to the second guy that I am going to brag on. We ran out of diapers Sunday and Jonah has taken to wearing big boy underwear like a champ! He has only had two accidents and we are already on day four! We ended up putting Micah back in diapers yesterday because he just is not quite ready, but Jonah is on a roll. I am so proud of my big boy for finally getting out of diapers!
So there you go. That is what I have to be proud of today. I hope that tomorrow the neighbors do not back out of their agreement and Jonah does not go back to peeing in his pants. Just maybe this one time, a fall will not follow my pride!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Overheard
Potty training two boys at one time is not really going as well as I had hoped, but it does provide for some great entertainment. For instance Jonah (who will not go near the potty) was trying to tell Micah how to poop in the potty. It went something like this:
Micah, soon you are gonna be wearin big boy underwear...not diapers. You know what you gotta do when you wear big boy underwear? You gotta pee outside. Then, when you have to poop, you gotta do it on the potty. First you sit on the potty and then you poop. But you gotta take off your underwear first. I hope you don't fall in! Hehehehehe! You get the poop out like this. You squeeeeeze your butt and the poop comes right out. But my poop only goes in diapers, cause I don't wanna wear those underwear.
Just an FYI...both boys are still in diapers and at this rate will be until they turn eighteen.
Micah, soon you are gonna be wearin big boy underwear...not diapers. You know what you gotta do when you wear big boy underwear? You gotta pee outside. Then, when you have to poop, you gotta do it on the potty. First you sit on the potty and then you poop. But you gotta take off your underwear first. I hope you don't fall in! Hehehehehe! You get the poop out like this. You squeeeeeze your butt and the poop comes right out. But my poop only goes in diapers, cause I don't wanna wear those underwear.
Just an FYI...both boys are still in diapers and at this rate will be until they turn eighteen.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Spring In The South
I love springtime in the South. There is nothing quite like opening the windows and letting the fresh breeze blow through the house. There are some things however I could do without...
This is what happens when the springtime breeze blows southern pine pollen all throughout your house.
Ugh...the cleanup begins!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Fire Update
Remember that fire we had the end of January? Although I am still grateful that things worked out so that we did not lose everything and that no one was seriously injured, I can't help but be a little upset about the way that things have progressed since then. Our neighbor lady and the guy who apparently set the fire (privacy fence neighbor lady's 40 year old nephew) never came over to help us get the fire out, nor did they call to make amends. They did not even bother to call and see if everyone was okay when the ambulance pulled up into my yard.
Even though the fire department and Joe got the fire out before it completely engulfed our old house, it still managed to do quite a bit of damage beforehand. The guy who set the fire had to go to court the first of March to pay his fine for setting a fire during the period that there was a ban on burning because of weather conditions. We were told to come to court that day as well with an estimate to repair the damages. We got a contractor to come out and give us an estimate. (Which was a lot higher than I thought it would be but then again I was looking at the surface and not taking into consideration all of the things that were deemed no longer safe by the fire marshal) When we got to court, the guy told the judge that he lived with his Aunt rent free, had recently gotten out of prison, and did not have any source of income. He did not even have enough money to pay his $100 fine. The judge advised us to get a lawyer and sue him and his Aunt (the property owner) for the amount of the damages.
That really was not what I wanted to hear. I have never sued anyone for anything and I'm really not sure how I feel about it. After court that day, Joe and I drove over to the neighbor lady's house and spoke with both her and her nephew. Joe asked the nephew if he would be willing to physically help out with the repairs and maybe we could just resolve this peacefully. The nephew said (paraphrasing here because I was so shocked I can't remember his exact words) that he did not have to do anything, we needed to take it to court and let the courts decide the outcome. He said the worst thing they could do to him was to lock him up and he had been through that already and it wasn't so bad!
Really??? Now I know that this guy did not intentionally set our house on fire...at least I would hope not. It was a mistake, and while I do not think that his life should be ruined over a mistake, I do think that there should be some consequences. So the question I keep coming back to is whether or not the $100 fine is enough of a consequence for him, and whose place is that to decide? I don't know who gets the benefit from the fine. I would hope that it goes to the firefighters who dropped everything they were doing that day to come out and help us.
We did go see a lawyer who sent them a letter asking for the home owner's insurance information. So far they have not responded to that. For now, Joe has put up heavy plastic over the windows and door to prevent any further damage from the elements, but we have not started any other repairs.
As a Christian, where is the balance between demanding restitution from someone who has wronged you and letting them walk all over you?
Even though the fire department and Joe got the fire out before it completely engulfed our old house, it still managed to do quite a bit of damage beforehand. The guy who set the fire had to go to court the first of March to pay his fine for setting a fire during the period that there was a ban on burning because of weather conditions. We were told to come to court that day as well with an estimate to repair the damages. We got a contractor to come out and give us an estimate. (Which was a lot higher than I thought it would be but then again I was looking at the surface and not taking into consideration all of the things that were deemed no longer safe by the fire marshal) When we got to court, the guy told the judge that he lived with his Aunt rent free, had recently gotten out of prison, and did not have any source of income. He did not even have enough money to pay his $100 fine. The judge advised us to get a lawyer and sue him and his Aunt (the property owner) for the amount of the damages.
That really was not what I wanted to hear. I have never sued anyone for anything and I'm really not sure how I feel about it. After court that day, Joe and I drove over to the neighbor lady's house and spoke with both her and her nephew. Joe asked the nephew if he would be willing to physically help out with the repairs and maybe we could just resolve this peacefully. The nephew said (paraphrasing here because I was so shocked I can't remember his exact words) that he did not have to do anything, we needed to take it to court and let the courts decide the outcome. He said the worst thing they could do to him was to lock him up and he had been through that already and it wasn't so bad!
Really??? Now I know that this guy did not intentionally set our house on fire...at least I would hope not. It was a mistake, and while I do not think that his life should be ruined over a mistake, I do think that there should be some consequences. So the question I keep coming back to is whether or not the $100 fine is enough of a consequence for him, and whose place is that to decide? I don't know who gets the benefit from the fine. I would hope that it goes to the firefighters who dropped everything they were doing that day to come out and help us.
We did go see a lawyer who sent them a letter asking for the home owner's insurance information. So far they have not responded to that. For now, Joe has put up heavy plastic over the windows and door to prevent any further damage from the elements, but we have not started any other repairs.
As a Christian, where is the balance between demanding restitution from someone who has wronged you and letting them walk all over you?
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Laying Down The Law
This little boy has been getting away with anything he wants for far too long! Some days I feel like our entire house revolves around Jonah.
I put this on here to remind myself of the necessity of training him up the way that he should go...because when he wraps those little arms around my neck and holds on tight, all I want to do is give in and give him the world!
Monday, March 14, 2011
Expanding
Our back yard is turning into a barn yard. We are now the proud caretakers of one dog (Dixie Jane), two bunnies (Dr. Sparkles and Jose), four turkeys (Tom, Gerry, Jessie, and Ginny), and seven chickens (one rooster and six hens - no names yet).
I say we only have two bunnies, but we recently moved Dr. Sparkles (female) into Jose's (male) cage and let them get married.
Dr. Sparkles really likes watermelon!
Jose...isn't he just the cutest thing?
The newlyweds....Mr. and Mrs. Jose H. Givens.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Expecting
We had Micah's birthday celebration here a few weeks ago.
We had chili and cornbread,
and a baseball cake.
Micah enjoyed opening presents,
but still managed to give us a few classic "2 year old attitude" poses.
It is a well known fact that Micah was born exactly nine months after my Mom and her husband kept Noah and Jonah overnight for Joe and I to have some alone time. Since then every time we go on a date there is endless teasing. We decided that on Micah's second birthday it was time to turn the tables.
As soon as all of the family arrived, Joe and I stood side by side in the kitchen and asked to have every one's attention. I put my arm around him and said, "I'm sure all of you know that two years and nine months ago Mom and Pa kept Noah and Jonah for Joe and I to have a date....and here we are celebrating Micah's second birthday. I'm sure most of you know as well that they kept all three boys for us to go on a date a for valentines day, and now I want you to know that WE ARE EXPECTING.......you all to have as much fun today as we had on that date!
The looks on their faces were priceless! I think it may have been the best joke I have ever pulled off. Most of them were so shocked that I said we were expecting that they did not even hear the rest of the sentence. Ahhh, fun times!
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