The Power of a Praying Parent

Today I went to my first Mom's In Touch International prayer group.

For years I had heard about a group of women getting together on the first day of school to pray for their kids, the teachers, the schools. But, I had never attended. I allowed the excitement of finally being by myself keep me from doing something important!

This year I went with a friend who invited me on the first day of school -- thinking that it was a one day thing. At the end of the meeting, I found out that it was a once a week commitment per school. So, because I have two boys in two different schools, I would have a twice a week commitment. At first I was not sure about that. How selfish is that? That I would not go pray for my children, their teachers and other students because it took TWO hours out of my week...

Today was the day to pray for the high school students. I met about 15 women who I had never met before who were there for the same purpose: to pray. There were no refreshments, no coffee, not much chit chat. Just to the point praying.

It was a wonderful experience. I would highly recommend this group to any mom who KNOWS how important it is to pray for her kids.

I am already looking forward to next week!

Sand

We have been doing a few outside projects over Labor Day weekend. Besides rebuilding a fence and gate, we put pavers down to give our dog a less muddy spot for his water and food bowls.

To put pavers down, we first spread out a layer of play sand. We laid the pavers on top and then "set" them in with more sand poured on top and swept into the cracks.

While we were pouring the sand, Colby was loving the smooth feel of it and we started reminiscing about when he was small and how much he played in sand. Connor received a dump truck sandbox for his second birthday and he and Colby spent lots of time playing in it. One by one the sandbox filled up with all kinds of tractors, shovels and buckets. Sometimes there was barely enough room for them in it!

They played in the sand at the park. Other kids would come up and invariably someone would get sand in their eyes!

The played in the sand at the beach. Building sandcastles was a challenge because just as it was almost done, waves would come and wash it away!

I got to wondering what other uses there are for sand. Here are a few:

1. Used as an abrasive for sandblasting

2. Additive with clay and other minerals for manufacturing bricks

3. To protect and store garden tools

4. To clean a narrow -necked vase (you mix sand and a little water in the vase and it cleans the residue away

5. Carry in the trunk for traction in icy weather

6. An ideal soil for growing watermelon, peaches and peanuts

Who knew sand was so important?

However, in Matthew 7:21; 26-27, Jesus says,

Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.

Sounds like sand, like everything else in life, is useful and needed but has some drawbacks-- whether it is being covered up by too many "toys", getting in your eyes, or being easily destroyed by Earth's elements.

There is only one that we can put our whole faith in. One who will clear away the clutter and shade our eyes and protect us from the storms of life. God will not fail!

I am thankful He made the sand; thankful for the uses of sand; thankful that I have two boys who love sand! I am even more thankful that He is my firm foundation!

A Doctor He Will Not Be

While in Albuquerque, one of Connor and Colby's most favorite things is spending the day with my dad at his truck yard.

Last month we spent 10 days in Albuquerque so the boys were able to spend lots of time with Papa. My dad was up on a trailer and went to get down. He ended up loosing his footing and fell right in front of Colby. When he got up, his ring finger was pointing the wrong direction! Colby looked at it and ran far away!

Luckily, the finger was just dislocated; but, Colby couldn't stop having "sympathy pains"! In fact, that night, while my dad was sound asleep, Colby came into my room crying because he was afraid something might happen to his finger while he slept. I assured him that in 9 years of sleeping, nothing had ever happened to his fingers!

Today, Colby was helping Chris lay some flagstone pavers. All of a sudden Chris yelled out in pain. He had smashed his finger in between two pavers. Chris was wearing gloves so we couldn't see any damage. However, Colby was quick to go to another part of the yard!

I ran into the house to get some ice and Colby stuck his head in and said, "If everything is OK and there is no blood, you can yell at me and I'll come back!"

I am willing to bet that Colby will not be going to medical school!!

Roadtrip

Today we went on a roadtrip.

There is nothing like a roadtrip. Although, I guess everyone has a different outlook on roadtrips.

Before Chris and I got married, a roadtrip to him was stopping once for gas over a 10 hour drive. A roadtrip to me was stopping at every stop we could. For example, I went to college 3 1/2 hours from my house. There was a McDonalds 1 1/2 hours into the drive and another McDonalds about 1 hour later. I would stop at BOTH of them! Needless to say, when Chris and I started traveling together, it was a shock to his system! I do have him well-trained after all these years though!

My sister and her husband and their four kids live in the Dallas area. They are four hours away from us and, sadly, we normally only see each other when we are all in Albuquerque! Today, we went to see them.

We had to make our stops...but what fun stops we made!

Buc-ees is a little piece of heaven on earth. In fact, Chris asked me if I thought there would be a Buc-ees in heaven.

For those of you who have not been blessed with a visit to Buc-ees, please find one and go--preferably the Buc-ees in Madisonville,TX. That is the best Buc-ees ever!

When you walk into a Buc-ees, you don't know which way to go first. The first place I go is to the restroom--which are the CLEANEST bathrooms ever!! There is even two Germ-ex dispensers in each bathroom stall!!

Next there are two walls of beverage choices, the standard convenience store food, and a huge deli section that includes the BEST jerky. My boys LOVE their jerky!

Then there is the shopping!! Lots of beautiful home decor, candles and accessories. Next door to the "convenience store" is the Outdoor Buc-ees. This store would make a hunting-loving family drool!

After making our purchases of snacks and drinks, we got to Danette's and dropped off the cargo we were taking and loaded into the cars to go...eat!

Burgers and fries at Burger Island. Yum!

Six hours later, we were back at Buc-ees for more snacks and drinks! And a hug from Mr. Bear!

I guess MY outlook of roadtrips is food!!

My Love

I blog a bunch about me and Connor and Colby...but there is another family member who I rarely blog about. He is actually the most important Marshall because without him I wouldn't be where I am and Connor and Colby wouldn't be here!

Chris and I have known each other for 26 years! We began dating 24 years ago and have been married for 19. I have been a Marshall for as many years as I was a Blakley!

When I was 13, my family and I joined a new church. The first Sunday we visited, I went home and told my parents that I saw the guy I was going to marry...

I can still remember him walking in in his white dress pants and pink shirt! His hair was blond and his eyes were blue...

My heart went pitter-patter!

After an on-again off-again dating relationship, we got engaged in November 1990. We were married in July 1991 -- I was 19 and he was 21.

You hear it said that a love for someone grows more every day. I can vouch for that! It amazes me how much I love my husband -- and everyday I find new reasons to love him more. There really are days when I feel like I could burst because I just am so thankful that he is in my life.

He is an amazing provider; a hard-worker; and a handyman. He loves his boys and somehow knows how to manage the fine line of being their friend and being their father. He loves a challenge. He wants to fix anything and everything -- from a broken part to a broken heart. He is so smart, giving, and generous.

I love that we still hold hands in public and can make our 14-year-old roll his eyes and our 9-year-old say "Ewww!" when we kiss and hug! I love how silly he is when it is just the two of us. I love that he knows me like no other and still likes being with me!

I would do anything for him or go anywhere with him (wait...I HAVE moved 9 times in our married life! :) ) I have friends who are worried about when their husbands retire and what they will do when they are around each other all day...I cannot wait for Chris to retire!

Life has not been a rose garden for us. We have made some difficult decisions; we have weathered some rough storms. But, love got us through them. The two of us together. There is nothing better than having someone in your life like that!

I love that he is my best friend. The one I want to grow old with. The one God made for me.

...He still makes my heart go pitter-patter!!

Home

There is something about certain songs that just stir up emotions in me that I don't understand. One of the recent songs that gets me choked up is "The House That Built Me" by Miranda Lambert. Here are the lyrics:

I know they say you can't go home again

I just had to come back one last time

Ma'am I know you don't know me from Adam

But these handprints on the front steps are mine

Up those stairs in that little back bedroom

Is where I did my homework and I learned to play guitar

I bet you didn't know that under that live oak

My favorite dog is buried in the yard

I thought if I could touch this place or feeling

This brokenness inside me might start healing

Out here it's like I 'm someone else

I thought that maybe I could find myself

If I could walk around I swear I'll leave

Won't take nothing but a memory

From the house that built me

Mama cut out pictures of houses for years

From Better Homes and Garden magazine

Plans were drawn and concrete poured

Nail by nail and board by board

Daddy gave life to Mama's dream

I thought if I could touch this place or feeling

This brokenness inside me might start healing

Out here it's like I'm someone else

I thought that maybe I could find myself

If I could walk around I swear I'll leave

Won't take nothing but a memory

From the house that built me

You leave home and you move on and you do the best you can

I got lost in this old world and forgot who I am

I thought if I could touch this place or feeling

This brokenness inside me might start healing

Out here it's like I'm someone else

I thought the maybe I could find myself

If I walk around I swear I'll leave

Won't take nothing but a memory

From the house that built me

Before I got married, I lived in four houses -- I really only remember two. I tried to find pictures of the outside of those two houses; however, as you will see, we only posed in front of fireplaces! So, here are the two fireplaces that were in the two houses that built me:

(Before I go further...yes, my sister and I used to dress alike ALOT in clothes our mom made us...what you don't see is usually mom had an outfit that matched us too!! Also, I don't want any comments posted on my '80's hairdo!!)

When I was in Albuquerque this summer, my mom, grandma and I drove past the house with that first fireplace. We moved away from there when I was going into the 9th grade. It was the first house I really remember living in.

It is located in the South Valley in Albuquerque -- not your prime real estate location -- on Tobacco Road. (See, the name says it all!) I remember many summer nights swinging on our swing set, playing in our playhouse out back, running through the sprinklers and watching the cotton fall from the sky from the cottonwood trees. For a few years, I had a horse and we would ride it down the road and along the ditch. My sister and I would play "Restaurant" a lot. And, I remember closing my bedroom door, putting on my Shawn Cassidy record and dancing to "Da Doo Ron Ron"! MANY family get-togethers were held there -- with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins running around. Any holiday was an excuse for a family meal.

We moved to the house with the second fireplace a year after changing schools. Our mom would drive for over an hour every morning before she got to work so that my sister and I could go to a great school. It about did her in so we moved closer to our school and church.

We had a beautiful backyard and once again, many family get-togethers were held here. We also had many church youth parties at our house. I went through my teenage years in that house -- got my first car, went on dates. Chris even proposed to me in that house.

I look back at both houses and where I came from. I am not "broken or need fixing" like this song says. But the one line that speaks to me is "You leave home and you move on and you do the best you can. I got lost in this old world and forgot who I am."

As I've gotten older and more removed from my "growing up" years, I can easily let my current surroundings make me "get lost in this old world". We live in a very nice area. There is beautiful house after beautiful house. I am easily pulled into the "I want a bigger, nicer house like THAT one." I get lustful over what everyone else has when I need to be thankful for what I have -- which is beautiful itself and more than I deserve!! My focus needs an adjustment every now and then.

I realize that it is not the house that built me but who was in that house that built me. Now, it is my turn to follow that through with my sons.

Flushed Away

Chris installed a new gadget in our house that have our two boys all giddy...

...a new flushing system.

It is meant to save water when flushing. You press the top button (#1) for "light flushes" or the bottom button (#2) for "heavier flushes". Hmmmm... very ingenious!

Let me just say that our 14-year-old and 9-year-old are easily entertained!