Birthday party

This past weekend we, along with Danny's family, celebrated both of the kids' birthdays. Here are a few pictures from the gathering:

We're happy tonight

This is going to be the shortest blog ever......


Danny and I ARE happy tonight because today we celebrated our 13th anniversary. Thirteen years ago today, Danny picked me up from work to go to lunch. We had talked about eloping. He asked me if I wanted to go to Pigeon Forge. I called the office to make sure they didn't need me that afternoon. They didn't, so up to Pigeon Forge we went. We stopped at an outlet jewelry store on the way to get my wedding band. We went to the Chapel of Love and got married for $150. There was lighter fluid squirted on the candles to make sure they would light, and they did........all the way down the side of the candles. The two ladies in the office watched on TV to be our witnesses. After the 15 minute ceremony we went to Krispy Kreme to get donuts, and I was very upset because they didn't have my favorite....plain glazed. What kind of donut store runs out of plain glazed donuts? That was 13 years and 2 kids ago. I'm looking forward to the next 13 years.....but there will not be 2 more kids!!

Christ was born on Christmas Day

And Connor was born on December 14, 2005. Where has the time gone?!? Four years ago at 1:07 pm my precious, sweet boy made his entrance into this world.

This cannot be the same little boy, or sorry, little man, that lives in my house now. These past four years have flown by, especially the last 2 years. He's gone from this small, quiet, still bundle of joy to speeding, never still ball of laughter!

Today he got to choose what we ate and for the most part what we did. We started off eating ice cream for breakfast. We had to make a trip to Walmart because he wanted cake on his birthday, but I didn't have one (I know - nice planning on my part) because his and Savannah's party isn't until Friday night. But of course, he wanted cake on his birthday. What was I thinking! He decided he wanted to wear his jammies all day. So, off to Walmart we went with him wearing his Buzz Lightyear jammies. After that we went and saw Danny at the office since he wouldn't be home tonight. We came back home and played the Wii....Connor's favorite thing to do. After eating chicken nuggets and mac and cheese for supper we went up to the neighbors house to look at all their lights...think Griswolds plus some. They had a blast! It doesn't sound like much but it was a fun day for all!

I am frightened by the load I bear

This blog is a little different than most. This one will be a little insight to my mind and thinking a lot recently about being a mom....

The title says it all. I've never had a long fuse with my temper but it seems the fuse has gotten shorter since having two kids. This is what I worry about every day...I think and worrying about my actions and how they effect the kids. I look at them and see two of the most precious gifts God could give to anyone and hope and pray that I'm doing right by them. This is something I'm sure all moms worry about and I'm sure I'll worry about it for the next 20 or 30 years too. The load of being a mom is a heavy one but one that I WANT to carry and the words of this song make carrying it just a little easier.....

I am waiting in a silent prayer,
I am frightened by the load I bear,
In a world as cold as stone,
Must I walk this past alone?
Be with me now, be with me now.

I know that I am not alone in this walk. I have a wonderful, loving husband and a great extended family to help. But the most important "helper" to me is Jesus Christ! I know He is there every step of the way, waiting for me to call on Him to help me hold it together......

Breath of heaven, hold me together
Be forever near me, breath of heaven.
Breath of heaven, lighten my darkness
Pour of me your holiness, for you are holy
Breath of heaven

Sometimes I ask myself, "Did God really mean for me to be a mom, because today it doesn't feel like I should be one." Once again, I know I'm not alone in my thinking. I'm learning "mind over matter" in a way. I usually try to focus on positives when something negative, either from the kids or me, takes place. It seems like that exercise has been missing a bit from my mind so I'm trying to remind myself of that with this blog. But once again, this song helps me put my mind in the right place.

Do you wonder, as you watch my face
If a wiser one should have had my place?
But I offer all I am, for the mercy of Your plan
Help me be strong, help me be, help me

As I finish this post, let me tell you....I KNOW I'm supposed to be a mom and I LOVE being a mom and there is no one that could be a better mom to my kids than me. I am at God's mercy for His plan for me and my life along with the lives of all in my family. I know God will help me be strong!!

Go tell it on the mountain....

That was the song I got a cute video of tonight while at the kids' Christmas program. Here it is:

So, only 3 days into the December Blog Challenge and I missed a day. It was not by choice though. Had a busy day yesterday so late last night I sat down to type it. But the kids didn't want me to apparently. I was dealing with Connor from about 11:15 til 12:55. And from 12:55 to 1:30 with Savannah...but didn't get to bed til 2:00 because Savannah was having a hard time going back to sleep. We went to the doctor today and each got antibiotics for sinus infection and flu shots. Savannah will be visiting an Ear, Nose & Throat doctor later on this month and then possibly an allergist. It's been a rough couple of days so this is my blog for today. Here are a couple of pictures from the program for your enjoyment.

Do you hear what I hear...

...I heard a lot of crying today. Once again the "not feeling good" bug has hit the Odom household. Poor Savannah has been congested for a month now...with being on 1 allergy medicine for 2 of those weeks and 2 medicines for the other 2 weeks. During this time she's had one sinus infection and I'm hoping she isn't developing another. She goes for her 2 year check up in a few weeks and I think we'll be going to an allergist after that. She has also been cutting all 4 of her 2 year molars at the same time. Connor has not been feeling well the past few days -either a cold or allergy stuff too. So, there was a lot of crying going on today....and mostly from Connor. We'll be treating the symptoms for a couple of days and hopefully avoiding the doctors office. If not, we'll be there Friday sometime.

What a bright time, it's the right time...

OK, so I have a wonderful, creative cousin who, along with several of her friends (and now me) to the DBC (December Blog Challenge) every year. What you are SUPPOSED to do (hoping I can) is blog every day, but the title of your blog has to be a line from a Christmas song and it's supposed to tie in to your blog. So, here's my first one.....

...or maybe not the right time. I decided, for some crazy reason, to see if Savannah was ready to potty train. She doesn't turn 2 for a couple more weeks (Dec 27th). But for several weeks now she asks to sit on the potty probably about 1 time a day. I take her and usually when she asks, she does use it...except of course when she doesn't want to take a nap....she's already using it for stalling. I realized this morning I was close to being out of diapers (well, the right size...she's in a 3 and I do have some 4s). So, I asked her if she wanted to wear panties instead of a diaper. She was all for it! She did great in the morning, but then came lunch and after. In about an hour and a half she had 4 accidents....with me taking her every 15 minutes. After the 4th accident she asked for a diaper. It was nap time and I put a pull up on her. She was a bit too excited about it. She kept saying, "Diaper? Dora diaper?" and smiling. After her nap we went to the potty...she used it once again. I put on her panties and not 5 minutes later she stood in my bedroom and had another accident. Needless to say, she went back into her diaper and we'll try again at a later date...probably a much later date!