Mr. Fix-It?

Last year around this time, I bought Matt a pair of house shoes. And he loved them. He wore them so much that I recently noticed they were on their last legs. I told him I was going to throw them out and get him a new pair. He immediately told me, no. I ignored him, and decided to snatch them up when he wasn't looking and trash them. Sounds cruel, I know, separating a man and his beloved shoes. But they were literally falling to pieces. And gross.

And then, tonight, he came walking into the living room, happily wearing his newly self-repaired shoes.


Just in case you're wondering, that is neon green duct tape. Yeah, I said duct tape. He was so proud of himself. I didn't even have words to respond.

Oh, and just for good measure.... it's glow-in-the-dark duct tape. I can see him coming a mile away. Oh, Matt. You make my life so interesting. What would I do without you??

Memaw Bear

When I was little, Grandma used to say the same prayer with me every night. You know the one, "Now I lay me down to sleep...." We did it night after night the same way together until I got old enough to pray it on my own.

When Belle was a baby, even before Estella was born, Grandma found a bear for her that, if you pushed its foot, would say our prayer. I think she got it at a Dollar General store, but she was so excited to have found it. I didn't tell Grandma at the time, but Belle really didn't care for it. In fact, I don't think she even touched it until Grandma died, and then she slept with it every night for months. She called it Memaw Bear, and even if she wasn't playing with it or sleeping with it, she had to know where it was. Last year or so, Estella Dru became just as attached to Memaw Bear. She would try to sneak it in her bed without Belle noticing. Belle would then figure it out and try to sneak it back into her bed. Even yesterday, they were fussing over that bear.

And just this week, someone else has taken up with Memaw Bear. He pushes the button over and over to hear it say its prayer. And most every time I hear it, I get a little lump in my throat. When Grandma gave that bear to Belle, I thought so little of it. A dollar store bear. How long could it last, right? Belle had so many 'good' toys, what would she do with an ugly little pink bear that prayed? Six years later, that bear is most definitely the most special toy in this house. He's a little more ragged than he used to be. He's lost his hat, and his hands don't stay together like they once did. But he still prays his prayer. The same one I said with Grandma hundreds of times in bed at night. These days I hang onto every piece of her I can for me.. and for my babies. I think sometimes I get caught up in worrying that I won't be able to tell them enough about her... that they won't really know who she was or how much she loved me and them. Isn't it funny that she's still giving to them all on her own without any help from me? That's just like you, Grandma. Just like you.

Wednesday Morning Picture

Because who doesn't love a man wearing only boots and a pink guitar?

MLK Day

I was supposed to have my husband and kids home with me today in honor of Martin Luther King Day. The snow we had a week or so ago changed all that. But, nerd mom that I am, have already begun planning our MLK lesson tonight when the girls get home. I don't want to let this day escape them unnoticed. Because MLK, Jr. rocked. Seriously rocked. I had two classes in grad school, one entitled, The American Civil Rights Movement, and the other other specifically, Martin Luther King, Jr. Both turned out to be two of my favorite classes during my time in grad school. What I learned is that people are flawed--some to the point of deep, dark ugliness. And while MLK, Jr. had flaws of his own, he fought against the ugliness when no one else would. And his legacy... wow. What a difference a life can make. So, yes. When my kids get home tonight, we're gonna talk a little about Mr. King.

We visited the site of his assassination last March. The girls call it "that place where the really brave guy got shot." I'll have to agree.



MLK, Jr. gave his 'I've Been to the Mountaintop' speech in Memphis the night before he was killed after hearing rumors of threats against his life. For me, his words are just hauntingly powerful.

"Well, I don't know what will happen now; we've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life - longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over, and I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the Promised Land. And so I'm happy tonight; I'm not worried about anything; I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."

A verse I pray for my children every night is, "[Let them] come out from among them and be separate." Also, I pray, "[They will] be bold enough in Him to speak as [they] should." MLK, Jr. is an awesome example of both. And it's an honor for me to discuss his footprint on this country with my children.

Goodbye to Estella's First Tooth

Estella Dru lost her first tooth tonight. It was drama in the highest there for an hour or so, but she was a little trooper. She is SO proud of herself and can't stop smiling. I love that little thing. Congratulations, Sweet Girl!

Dinner with Beyonce'

This is what dinner looks like at everyone's house, right? Right?

Return to Normal

Since December 18, my entire family has been home with me. In this house. All of them. All day long. And whereas I love every single one of them more than anything on earth, I need my routine. I just do. And since December 18, I've been thrown. If Christmas break wasn't long enough, then we had the snow week. Then, yesterday, I was SO ready for normalcy again. It was Monday. The snow had melted. Everyone was headed back to work/school, and what did I do? I had to go and get sick. Matt was home all day taking care of me and Jeb, bless his heart. He is so precious. But it set me back again. Another day away from the return of normal.

But today... today has been a good day. I feel much better. Matt is at work. The girls are at school. Life is starting to feel right again. Whew! It's about time.

This morning I got up and began the slow process of getting my house picked up and organized. Because it was trashed. I mean, really trashed. I started in the kitchen, and very soon I heard, "Hi, Mommy." He knows he's not supposed to climb up to the bar, but he does anyway. And normally, I would have made him get down, but today, I went to get my camera. It was a sweet sight. Just me and Jeb. Doing our thing. Just rollin' with our routine. I love it.

Cheese.

(Warning: This may ONLY be funny to members of the Slaughter family.) A week or so ago, we packed up the kids and headed out to the Gentry Safari. (I'm always amazed that I can see a lion, tiger, bear, hippo and various other animals in Gentry, AR. Odd. Just odd.) Anyway, Matt had the camera, and was taking pictures of the animals as we drove along. The entire time, Jeb kept yelling, "Cheese! Cheese!" When we got home and downloaded the pictures, I saw this guy and had to call the whole family in the room where we proceeded to laugh uncontrollably for the next 30 minutes. I don't know what sort of animal this is, but apparently he knew his picture was being taken and 'cheesed' just like Jeb told him.

That'll teach him....

Matt and I went for a drive today since school is out again and we are all going a bit stir crazy in the house. Surprisingly enough, the kids were being quiet in the backseat, and all of a sudden, Matt asks, “What are you thinking about?” It threw me. He never asks that kind of thing…. Probably because I’m never quiet. So, I tried to distract him and said, “Nothing. I’ve just got writer brain. Ask later.” But he wouldn’t leave it alone, and so I came clean. And this is what I told him…. (Get ready because it’s very writer-ish.)

As we were creeping 10 mph in all the snow and ice, I couldn’t help but think it was all very metaphorical of life sometimes. We move about in our happy, warm places until all of a sudden the cruel cold hits... so unexpectedly. It forces us to our knees, makes us crawl, and steals our breath. What was touchable goes ice cold and stings our fingertips. What was familiar goes distant, unrecognizable. Where our hearts were uncovered and warm, now we have no choice but to bundle them up under layer after layer to keep them from freezing solid in mid-beat. Day to day routines are cancelled. Posts are abandoned. And we are left to wait for that moment when the warmth of day returns, and the bitter, unyielding cold is just a memory. When we can peel off the layers and let our hearts beat, exposed and unafraid. When life can’t get cancelled or posts abandoned. I told him I was ready for the sun to warm the world again.

That’ll teach him from asking me what I’m thinking.

I think when you lose someone, there’s always a little winter in your heart. Even in the dead of summer. Still, I’m praying summer days to hurry my way.

Snow Day.

I wasn't going to blog for a while, but I can't neglect our snowy day here in NWA. Here are just a few pictures so we'll be sure to remember...

Year in Review via Favorite Pictures...

I promise to slow down on the pictures in the upcoming weeks. I thought it would be good to do a year in review via some of my favorite pictures from 2009. This has been quite the year for us. A year of happiness, excitement, sadness, hopefulness. Thank God for hope, right?

So, here it is... the Slaughter Photo Year In Review....