Monthly Archives: April 2006

Ok, anyone who knows me, KNOWS that I can not keep plants alive no matter how hard I try. I water them, I talk to them, I even move them into the sunshine and rotate them……it’s always the same…..they shrivel up and turn brown. At our last house, I attempted to keep the flowers up but they all started to die. We finally ended up having my Mother in Law come rescue any she thought she could save (by taking them to her house) and then we threw down grass seed. I like grass and I can keep it alive. I loved that I didn’t have to weed, I didn’t have guilt over killing more plants, and all I had to do was mow my entire yard. It was simple but it was green and healthy.

The house we are renting now was landscaped by a lady who used to work for a plant nursery. The landscaping is beautiful, it looks complicated and expensive……and….I fear it is going to die! Today in the back yard, I found this cool little sitting area complete with a stone bench. It was a bit overgrown, so I trimmed back the bushes and trees leading to this little oasis. While doing this, I found a jack pot of plants and bushes in pots, just waiting for some TLC. I’m not the best person for this job but I did my best. I re-potted two of the bush-things that had good color, and even staked up the bigger one, so it won’t tip over. I raked out the bench area and moved some of the planters out of my new found grotto. I bagged up my tree clippings and was assaulted by a rogue “lizard from hell” that landed on my arm and then jumped into my hair, causing me to shriek and dance wildly around the back yard. (The darling children came running to see what was going on, but instead of checking for the offending lizard in my hair, they just danced around mocking me.) After recovering from the lizard episode, I moved about 6-10 of the planters and potted plants out into the yard to be washed out or watered. Over the next few days I will have to re-pot most of the plants from the little grotto and find them homes around the yard. I will post a picture of my grotto when it is done.

The last of our boxes was unpacked today and the nesting has begun! The house has been wonderful but we are still getting used to all the doors and new turns. (I should stop walking into my closet when I am looking for the bathroom in a couple more days.) The children took over the dining room today and made an elaborate Rokenbok set up that wound around the table and in and out of the chair legs. They also caught another lizard…this one was bright green, so he was named Kermit. Kermit was brought into the house to “show mom”, but thank goodness, he did not escape the bug house. We considered waiting till the kids were asleep to spring Kermit from his prison, but we succeeded in convincing darling daughter to parole him instead.

Upon arriving to our new home, we showed the children their rooms and went out to check on the local lizard population. We saw several, but they could never quite catch one. As luck would have it, we found a lizard in the boys’ room scaling the curtains. With much delight at this house warming present, they caught the beady eyed critter and relocated him to the grass near the pool. We have already caught 4 more lizards and named at least a dozen others. If you notice sun kissed children rustling in the bushes whistling and calling for Puffer, Bravo, Catchy, or Mini Mine don’t be alarmed, it’s just the lizard patrol. They are armed for any reptile emergency, with a butterfly net, a bug house, and a squirt gun or pool noodle to flush them out of hiding. This is serious business around here, “Lizards, beware!”

1Chronicles 16:8 (KJV) Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.

This is a list of things from our trip that I am thankful for:
1. The children didn’t get motion sick and throw up in the RV
2. The vehicles didn’t have any issues on the road
3. My harp was packed by the movers by accident, but it was not damaged
4. The uhaul car trailer didn’t have any problems
5. I know how to tow a trailer now
6. I got to be alone in the car while I learned to tow the trailer
7. The lock on the RV fridge didn’t break until we were out of the winding roads
9. We missed the hail in Texas
10. The lizard that jumped from the curtains in the boys’ room has now been relocated OUTSIDE with his family
11. We made it here safely!

Family pictures are coming down today and the boxes are beginning to stack next to the wall. Tomorrow the movers will pack our things and we will close out our chapter here, and start out on a new adventure. Pray for driving safety, no motion sickness in the kids, and a good sense of humor in both Hubby and myself. Updates will be coming later next week!

I didn’t watch the latest drivel, The Gospel of Judas because the commercials alone caused me to yell at my tv for twisting the truth. I know better than to watch those programs unless I’m feeling very cantankerous, and then it is a form of therapy to rant at my tv. With moving preparations in full swing, now was not the time. I did, however, find a well written piece ,”Judas: A Saint for Our Seasons,” should you be so inclined. Thank you, sir, for so eloquently putting to page, what I could not.

I have both of the boys reading in Proverbs for their devotions each day. Younger son has some trouble with the bigger words so I sit with him and listen as he reads. The other day we came to this verse:

Proverbs 16:31 (NIV) Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life.

The darling boy paused to think on this a minute, “Hey mom, if grey hair is a crown, then you really ARE a queen!”

Two days later, he had been pondering that verse some more.

Son: “Remember that verse about gray hair being a crown?”
Me: “Yep.”
Son: “Well, daddy has more of a crown than you. Yours is more of a tiara.”