Looking Ahead

Ian brought home from school a timeline of his life to come.

Looking Ahead

Tell what you think you will be doing at different ages as you grow older.

Age 13- Go to driving school



Age 21- Get Married

Age 30- Get some kids

Age 50- Get a job

Age 65- Kick my kids out

Age 80- Get very, very, very old. Die. RIP

Forever The One

This time of year always reminds me of when Chris and I started falling in love. Although we didn't start dating until the fall, spring is when the feelings started. Years ago a friend of mine who was single and feeling un-lucky in love asked me if all the stuff you hear about falling in love is true. The weak in the knees, the heart flutters, the shy smiles. For me it was. I had the perfect "falling in love" experience. Chris was my first love, my first kiss. The reason our beginning love was so sweet for me is because, Chris saw me. He saw past the sarcastic front and saw who I really was. He Chose me. And 18 years later (16 being married) we def don't live in that "falling in love" feeling, but it is easy to remember and cultivate those feelings. This song, by Bread is pretty much our story. We chose each other, both of us were hurting for different reasons and God brought us to each other. God saw the big picture of what the Owens family would be.

.

The Chosen One
I was your first and you were my last
And we are the journey's end

I was the blues and you were my sunshine friend

Now I'm your lover, you are my cover
Keeping the loneliness from me
You are my chosen one... arise and be the one
The chosen one
You are the sea and I am the sailor
Riding the perfect wave
I could've drowned but you came around and saved me

Now I'm your hopes and you are my dreamer
Helping me see beyond tomorrow
You are the chosen one... you'll always be the one
The chosen one

Out of the darkness, out of the shadow
Oh wherever you go, I'll follow along
Wherever you lead me, wherever you need me
I'll bring you my message, I'll bring you my song

You are the chosen one... arise and be the one
The chosen one

Darlin' I choose you, I'll never use you
I couldn't abuse you with all that you've done
You are my sunshine, you are my lifeline
Forever my sweet wine, forever the one

If you are reading this, take the time to re-kindle your "falling in love" memories.

Break out your old love songs and remember the feelings.

Beautiful Boy

"Lift up your eyes and look around; all your sons gather and come to you.

As surely as I live," declares the LORD, "you will wear them all as ornaments."  Isaiah 49

Ironic that I should find this verse today. This past week was a tough one for this ol' Mama. More times than I can remember I had all three of my boys swarming me at the same time. Nolan behind me hugging my neck and Ian and Ryan on either side of me. My boys definitely are my ornaments. Ian and Ryan had off of school this past week and they were bouncing off the walls here at home. Literally, there were moments the house was shaken. I started calling them a The Wolf Pack, they ran through this house sounding like a pack of wolves. I tired to take them somewhere every day, to give the house a moment to recover. Which worked as a good distraction but ended up with an exhausted and cranky bunch, including Mama.  And Ryan ended up with a broken finger. (Playing in the back yard at new cousin baby Nick's house my He-man Ryan decided it would be a good idea to pick up a 4x4 fence post and lean it back on the fence. He turned, the post fell, two huge goose eggs on his head and broken ring finger. He will be in a splint for 4 weeks.) So from all this I am left a little stretched thin. I miss my husband, I miss me, I miss free time. And I am already starting to miss Ian and Ryan! They have only been away from me for 4 hours at school, but my neck feels bare. I can't help it, I'm in love, oh and slightly insane.

I remembered this song by John Lennon that I intend to dance with each of my boys

on their wedding days. He wrote it for his son, Sean.

Close your eyes
Have no fear
The monster's gone
He's on the run and your daddy's here

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful boy
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful boy
Before you go to slee
 Say a little prayer
                                                Every day in every way
          It's getting better and better

Out on the ocean sailing away
I can hardly wait
To see you come of age
But I guess we'll both just have to be patient
'Cause it's a long way to go
A hard row to hoe
Yes it's a long way to go
But in the meantime

Before you cross the street
Take my hand
Life is what happens to you
While you're busy making other plans

Before you go to sleep
Say a little prayer
Every day in every way
It's getting better and better

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful boy
Darling, darling, darling
Darling Sean


PopCorn Kernels

Wrote this in March 2009, Nolan was only one month old. Ryan was 2 1/2 and Ian just turned 6.

A must share story about the neglect I had for my second born. Being a middle child myself I have always had a soft spot for other "middles" and plan to be very aware of my little Ryan's feelings through the upcoming years......This is not a good start!

After a long and busy weekend of partying for Ian's 6th b-day, we were finally home and settled. Ian was asleep upstairs for school tomorrow. Chris was holding a sleeping Nolan and Ryan was with me in the kitchen while I was making Ian's lunch for school. I popped a bag of popcorn for a bed time snack for Ryan. I was on the phone with my sister Sarah and Ryan was sitting next to me on the couch eating his popcorn. I hear him saying my name and something about his nose. After a few times of saying my name, I finally looked at him and realized he was trying to tell me that he had a popcorn kernel up his nose! Yikes, I fished it out pretty easily with my fingernail, and laughed with my sister about how he had to call me a few times while I was blabbing to her......... Get with it mom! Umm Yeah, it doesn't end there......

So my sister Brenda can be kind of a spaz about germs and worrying about stuff. Sorry Bren, but its true. We often joke about it and I in particular get great enjoyment out of picking on her about it. Her son Noah wants the toilet seat washed off before he pees. And uses toilet paper to flush the toilet so he doesn't have to touch the handle....even in his own house! And he just turned 4! Chris tells a hilarious story about taking Noah to the bathroom at a restaurant and how Noah wanted Chris to hold him up to pee into the toilet so that he didn't have to touch anything. Funny, right..... well Brenda this "note" is to officially apologize for ever making fun of your over spazziness!

Chris came home this morning to re-fill his coffee (huge plus of living on the grounds where he works!) Nolan had a Dr. appt. which I was getting ready for. He is doing great by the way, and now weighing in at 6.10oz! That is what Ian weighed when he was born, haha! He is our peanut and we love him so much! Anyway, Chris helped me out by changing Ryan's diaper and dressing him. While he had him layed down for the diaper change, he noticed something in his nose. Looking more closely he realized he had a popcorn kernel up his nose! Jeez, then he looked again and noticed he had another one in his other nostril too! Oh my gosh!! I cleaned up the popcorn last night so I know he didn't put it there this morning. And the most horrible thing is last night I noticed while he was sleeping that he sounded stuffy. I thought he was getting sick and even looked for the saline nasal gel to put on his nose. But I couldn't find it and gave up looking. It was 4 am and I was so tired from nursing Nolan I just wanted to go back to sleep. (Pulling the sympathy card here people!) So of course as we tried to get them out with tweezers we pushed them up more. Chris had a great idea took and took a bobby pin and opened it and curved the end with pliers. He was able to get behind the kernel and scoop it out. So finally after a long night of stuffy wheezing Ryan could breath again!

So Brenda Ann, you may be a spaz but I know your kid would never go to sleep, let alone sleep the WHOLE NIGHT THROUGH with popcorn kernels up his nose! You have my permission, anytime I start to pick on you, just say two words to me.......Popcorn Kernels