No, I am not kidding

Often, our kids play with the neighborhood boy--Ben--who lives across the street. He is an only child so it is like an instant party for him when our kids come out and play.

Ben is quite the creative fellow. So, I wasn't surprised when he brought out his magnifying glass on Friday afternoon and was trying to 'burn' things. Sophie ran inside to get an Oreo, saying they were going to try to 'burn' it. They were magnifying the rays of sunlight upon the object and basically trying to start a fire. I wasn't the least bit concerned--whoever heard of such a thing actually producing flames? I even thought to myself, "Hey, this can be my kid's science experiment for the week. Thanks, Ben!" (Sidenote: by the way, don't think for a minute I wasn't on to Sophie when she came in for the Oreo. If you know Sophie, you know her love for food and you know she had an ulterior motive. She had plans to eat that experiment when it was all said and done.)

Anyway, they spent their time Friday afternoon experimenting. So, Saturday rolls around. Wes and Jeremiah played outside with all the neighborhood kids for a little awhile before lunch. While they were having lunch I asked them: 'so what do you guys plan to do after lunch?'

Wes' response: 'Oh, we'll probably walk around with Ben and burn things.'

Nice.

I chuckle inwardly. I suppress a smile. Ha, Ha. Walk around and 'burn' things. Good thing it's all just innocent fun....

Ten minutes later I look out the front door to check on them and about pee in my pants. THERE IS A FIRE SHOOTING UP OFF MY NEIGHBOR'S DRIVEWAY WITH FLAMES ONE FOOT HIGH. The pyromaniacs are next to it, looking on. All three of them.

I throw open the door. 'THAT IS NOT FUNNY--PUT THAT OUT! THIS INSTANT!'

I dialed Ben's mom, whom I have on speed dial for reasons such as these. 'Excuse me, but there is a fire with one foot high flames in your driveway...'

Moral to the story? Do not let your child play with magnifying glasses and paper. Seriously.

Celebrating 20 Years!

Tomorrow I will, God willing :), be at the beach with my favorite, oldest girl friend of all time! I can't wait! Guess what we hope to do? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! You know your friendship is real when you can do absolutely nothing with someone and still have a blast!

This is our 20th year Anniversary trip, celebrating 20 years of being friends! Wow--we're kind of old!

This Friend is MY Hero

So I see Eric and the kids at mile 10.5 and I run up to the curb to slap them high five and about fall out! My friend, Nicole is standing there with them cheering me on! WHAT IN THE WORLD????? I spent the whole rest of the race trying to figure out how in the world she got to Chicago and wondering what the story was.

I got the scoop after the race. She drove up the night before and spent the night with a friend and then met up that morning with Eric. WOW! What an AWESOME FUN surprise! My kids had a super fun time with her and having her there sure did make the weekend extra special for me. I had SO much fun hanging out with her afterwards!

My, oh my, I am once again speechless and beyond knowing what to say. ...except, girlfriend, you out did yourself! Thank you seems like such a small word....but thank you for making my day on Sunday! You are one in a million! Love you, sweet friend!!!

GO MOM!!!

WOW! My husband and sweet family pulled off a huge one last night! I still can't believe it. Supposedly, Eric was taking me out to dinner to celebrate my training/fundraising for Worldvision for the marathon (which is Sunday). Eric's sister and family came over to babysit and we left for my favorite restaurant (Chang's). So, we get to the restaurant, get out of the car and Eric says, 'Oh man, I forgot a gift card my manager gave me; we're going to have to go back and get it.' Now, knowing we have an expensive weekend coming up, gift cards are of upmost importance right now, so I didn't think it strange that we would drive back to our house to get it. So we get back in the car to drive to our house. I did think it strange, however, that he was driving mighty slow (he NEVER drives slow). As I was beginning to think he was acting strange, we rounded the corner to our house and pull up in front to a multitude of friends and family, yelling, 'SURPRISE!!!!'

I was in complete shock. The first thought to go through my head, 'Oh no! My hair is a mess!' :) At first, I was overwhelmed and I only saw a crowd...then, my eyes began to focus in on faces...first I saw several of my sweet neighbors, then other precious faces came into view--old friends and new friends...

I got out of the car...they had a huge banner painted in orange, saying 'Run, Maria, Run!'. Then, my niece Piper yelled, 'give me a G' The crowd: G!'

Piper: give me a 'O'

Crowd: 'O!'

Piper: give me a 'M'

Crowd: 'M!'

Piper: give me a 'O'

Crowd: 'O!'

Piper: give me a 'M'

Crowd: 'M!'

As they yelled each letter, each of my children ran out with the letter on a bright orange shirt.

Piper: What's that spell?

Crowd: GO, MOM!!!!

Oh my goodness! I was speechless. I was floored. I was overwhelmed by feelings of love. Now, I didn't cry because I never cry in the moment (HATE this about myself, by the way! Wished I cried in the moment). It always spills out later, at the strangest time. Probably, today, while I'm going through a drive through or at the library, it will hit me and spill out all over the place and people will think I'm weird.

Anyway, back to the party! They had a big spread of food, a huge cake with orange letters saying 'Run, Maria, Run!', orange napkins, orange everything! (Worldvision's color is orange, by the way). People brought cards.... wow, it was so encouraging!!!!!! I have never felt more loved. I was just, well, overwhelmed. I felt like I was being enveloped in one, gigantic hug last night. (okay, so now I am crying). I don't even know how to thank all of these incredible people. What a pep rally! You will never know how this has spurred me on! I just feel ....tingly. (Tingly? Is that all you can say?) I know, I know, I just don't know what to say! As my mom would have said, 'I'm just flabbergasted and beside myself!' :) Okay, there--I am flabbergasted and beside myself! Seriously, my husband and sweet mother/father in law and sister/brother in law are just over the top! Eric scored some major points tonight :) !!!! I just love you guys so much! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. I feel so loved today. and READY TO RUN!!!!!!

Pics of the 'instigators':

'And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching' Hebrews 10:24-25

I LOVE YOU GUYS---I am adding this verse to my scripture cards for Sunday! I will be praying thanksgiving over you guys as I run!

Other pics:

Time with the Stouts = FUN

This weekend we went back to Eric's hometown, Murray, KY for his 20th high school class reunion. One of his best friends in his class, Richard, invited our whole family to hang out with their family at their parent's lake house on Saturday. It has been years since we've gotten to hang out with them and years since we've seen his parents and brother's family. I just love this family. First of all, their middle name is hospitality. They make you feel warm and invited the moment you set foot in their home. And they are just comfortable to be around. You can just be yourself. Everyone is low key and laid back and just so fun. Also, they are all about their family. You can just see it in the grandparents face and just in the way they interact. I felt so priveleged to get to be apart of this close knit family's get together this weekend. They are comfortably contagious--when you leave you don't really want to leave....I hope that one day our children will feel this way about Eric and I! Also, this is the first time I've really gotten to hang out with Richard's wife, Kate and I so enjoyed hanging out with her! I wish we could all get together more often! Now that we got a taste of it this weekend, maybe we'll make it happen again sometime in the future--I hope so! Stout family--you guys rock! Our kids had a blast--they haven't quit talking about it!

BFF

Just thinking about my like-minded, spirit filled friend today.

So blessed to have a friend who:

• has a passion for God's Word


• I can talk to for hours and it just feels like a few minutes


• thinks the way I do


• cracks me up


• thinks I'm funny


• encourages me


• is about as unfake as they come


• accepts me just like I am


• speaks Truth in my life


• thinks the Office is as funny as i do

"Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." Proverbs 27:17

Iron sister, so glad to have shared the Beth Moore conference with you this past weekend--a memory to treasure forever. Love you friend!

PS -- And remember--STOP THE JOKE :)