ValentiNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNes Day

It has always struck a real nerve with me to hear so many intelligent people pronounce this love-filled holiday with a M, its not about a TIME of Valen! I took every day as an opportunity to help my little pre-schoolers in the correct pronouciation, sure cut down on my irritation!
Well that morning my husband left and my parents arrived! We started the visit by heading straight over to sign Ty up for little league, which is now just short an act of congress! Wow, those people take their little league SERIOUS! It took me over a week in preparation to get the correct documents available! That is all I will say about that. Then we were off to Baker Brothers for a nice lunch and then running more errands which included picking up our heart pizzas from Pappa Murphy's! I think this is a national chain... if you have not tried them, you absolutely MUST! Cheap AND good, a rare combination among any item! They suggested two for three adults and two children which was poor judgement, we did not even cut into the second one and will be eating for days now! May dad taught Ty how to tie a fishing line while we waited for them to cook.. too sweet~

My parents, AKA Pop and Cita, came baring many gifts including the movie, Charlotte's Web. We watched it after dinner and baths and my mother and I were actually crying at the end, while the kids slept! I think we just started it too late, but what a great movie!

I probably have not mentioned it before, but anybody reading who knows my mother is aware of her extensive background in teaching. She is just the most incredible story teller, and since her retirement has found a place where she can use that gift. There is a group in Arlington called The Story League, where many other retired teachers also go to various schools in the district not reading, but telling stories that they have memorized. They are always stories that are timely to the season or age and involve some participation from the audience along with some added props. Ty's class, along with the other four pre-K classes at Calvary had the blessing of getting to hear one from my mother! It was really neat to hear in person for the first time and she had all the teachers joining in as well!

My Dad took Ty fishing for the first time and they had a lot of fun just messing with the lines and learning their way around a tackle box while at home! We live just blocks from a big pond which is the perfect distance to go to fish! I picture Andy and Opie walking down there only appearing more like Ty and my Dad!

We had the pleasure of 60 mph winds last night that kept us awake nearly the entire night due to someone's gate in our neighborhood opening and shutting as well as the variety of backyard items being carried around hitting the fence, our windows, etc... I have tin stars that used to adorn the top of our built-in entertainment center in our last home, now have found a new place on our back fence which may have to be reconsidered. They have only been left hanging for a whole 24 hours in a row. Mostly they somehow make it off the bent nail and are all over my yard. Its a real mystery. This town makes decorative items a real challenge. I also used to have this gorgeous huge berry wreath on my door of Valentines day when we lived in Lewisville. The funny thing is there was not a sheltered entry there, it was cut out of the roof line! Had it for two years there. The first house we moved in here, the birds thought they were real and obliterated it :( Needless to say, this time of year is not my favorite for the area we live in and almost every year I re-consider moving! The dirt about sets me over!

We have had a busy week since Valentines full of LCU basketball games, t-ball try-outs, dinners, play dates, and parties. The busi-ness continues until summer anyway. I am looking for a job that might enbable me to make more money but also be flexible. I sure would appreciate any prayers you could send on my behalf, in such a time of such bank hording money, and my field being more of a luxury than a necessity. There is so much illness all around us too, just a real yuck time of year I guess. We do have a lot to be thankful despite of it all. God continues to be Good!