Future Peace Corps Volunteer

Honest-to-goodness conversation tonight at dinner:

F: God gives us our food.

A: Yep. God gives us our food.

F: And some people don't have food.

A: You're right. Some people don't have enough food.  What can we do to help them?

F: Give them food.

A: If people don't have enough, we can show love by sharing what we have with them.

F (to herself): Some people don't have food.  I wonder why?

A: 

My child is confronting life's injustices at 3 years old.  Watch out, world.  

See Ya, 2011!

I'd like to thank 2011 for the following:
1. Teaching me to lose and gain and lose weight with more gusto than ever.
2. Showing me just how incredibly broken a person can be.
3. Having my husband call me "uptight" over 100 times.  Which, by the way, makes me more uptight.
4. Two rounds of a stomach virus so fierce that I was so weak I couldn't walk, hit my head on the wall, and knocked myself out cold.
5. Breaking my heart watching a family member struggle with drug addiction and feeling helpless.
6. Letting  me know how it feels to go from meeting all my resolutions to meeting none.  I wouldn't have known just how low I could get without a resolution reminder once in a while.
7. Breaking two iPhones in a month, one within 24 hours of purchasing it.
8. Losing a baby to miscarriage.
9. At least 5 cavities.


2011, you are one bitty.  I'd like to see you go far, far away.

In 2012, I will be thankful for:
1. learning to not just lose weight, but be healthier.
2. every day with the child I have, even the days that aren't fun.
3. getting the opportunity to focus on Amanda.
4. being a part of a community that focuses on Christ and loving others like He does.
5. learning to have more fun.
6. my family and enjoy spending time with them.
7. my friends and show them that I love them.
8. my Savior and spend time with Him.

2012 is going to be great.  I love new beginnings.

Housechurch

I’m going to preface this post by sharing a little about our church. Norman Community Church is decentralized church.  It is not a traditional church in the sense that there are no pews, offering plates, or deacons. Our church is modeled after the first church in Acts 2 so in a sense it’s the most traditional.   We don’t have a building- we meet in houses.  And it’s not because we are trying to save up some money in a building fund somewhere. Our kids go to class in bedrooms and we meet in the living room.  We’ve had friends laugh in our faces at the church we go to.  Ask us if we’re in a cult.  And we’ve had several people looked at us cynically because we don’t have a building.  Sometimes it’s hard for us because we miss things about going to a “regular” church.  Hymns, Christmas plays, youth group ski trips, hearing Leon sing each Sunday.  And sometimes it’s really hard for me because our church is built on being in true community with others and I have a really hard time making friends and staying connected with them.  There are some days when I feel like I’m the only one not “invited to the party,” even after going there for almost three years.  And there are some days when I know it is mostly my fault because I am not trying really hard to be connected with them.  And there are even days when TJ is working and the thought of going to church by myself and feeling like a loaner makes me cry.  Well, that was more of a heart dump than a preface, but this blog ain’t called theAragonLife for nothin’.

Anyway, just when I’m on the verge of hanging up my hat at the joint, God speaks to me through the people there in such a strong way I know it has to be where we are supposed to be.  Today was one of those days.  We read through the passage in Luke 2 where the angels announce Jesus’ birth to the shepherds.  Then we just discussed it- how all the people in that moment must have felt. God, the angels, Mary, Joseph, the shepherds.  And honestly, it moved me.  Like, really moved me.  How the angels were probably speechless until they just starting shouting “Glory to God in the Highest!”  How Mary and Joseph must have felt knowing the secret that this baby was actually God.  The shepherds gathering up their sheep and running as fast as they could to see Jesus.  How God continuously chooses the meek, the stinky, and the humble to do the unimaginable.  It settled me right in to the place where I need to be this time of year- focusing on God sending Himself to earth to rescue us from our own plans.  As we further discussed it, one guy younger than me was sharing and his lip started quivering.  Then he began crying.  A grown man moved to tears over a baby being born in a manger.  Moved to tears by God and His love.  There all of us were- crying- over a story we’ve heard at least 100 times.  Because God’s gift was so overwhelming, because His gift IS so overwhelming. 

And just when I think I’m done with that place.  God is so good to us.  He’s so good to me.    

Our child doesn’t have a Bible.  Insert Gasp! Shock! The horror!!!!!

TJ and I were just waiting for the right moment.  The moment when we felt like she was ready.  When she understood, at least a little, of what a Bible was.   I felt really strongly that I didn’t want to just go to Mardel and grab any old children’s Bible, but I also thought a real Bible wasn’t right for her either.  I mean, she’s three.  I thought the thee’s and thou’s might throw her a little.  We decided that we really wanted to get her one for her birthday so I started researching my options.  When I decided I went to Mardel and read through a lot of the Bible I was leaning toward to make sure it wasn’t some weirdo Bible that slipped passed someone. 

I think the Bible we chose is the best kids Bible out there today.

The subtitle “Every story whispers His name” is so true and the adaptor of the stories makes certain to point every story towards Jesus and God’s plan.

I seriously wept tonight while I was reading it with her. 

Anytime I can’t find her, she’s sitting somewhere around the house reading it.  If you have a young child in your family, please consider getting this for them for Christmas.  (Except Amanda because your boys will be receiving one from their god-parents.)

They have a website. Google it.  Seriously, do it. Now. 

Extreme Room Makeover

For Faith's birthday TJ really wanted to get her princess bedding.  Of course, we both had to take it to the next level and switch her room to the spare bedroom, repaint the walls and woodwork and do a complete princess theme.  All while keeping it a surprise from Sis who only thinks we're painting her new room.  Oh, and have it done by Saturday when her party is!  I'm actually supposed to be wiping down the woodwork right now, but I'm gathering my ideas instead. 

Here's the basic outline of the room:

The wall are going to be pink with one wall having wide stripes.  Oh, here's a little information- Disney has their own paint colors that only match their bedding. Of course, you do, Disney. Of course, you do. 

http://candethiem.blogspot.com/2010_03_01_archive.html

Reading nook complete with cushions and tangled lanterns

http://www.sillyeaglebooks.com/2010/09/decorating-childrens-rooms-lucias.html

They aren't going to look like this, but this is the idea

http://crafty-couple.blogspot.com/2011/08/how-to-make-your-own-tangled-lantern.html

This bedding that Daddy loves and Moma tolerates

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11972016

On her bed that already is similar to this with matching hutch dresser

At then end of her bed will be a dress up area with her vanity set she already loves and a shelf of hooks on the wall for her dress up things  

(can't find a picture online of her vanity)

These in gallery type set up 

And we have those crazy 1/2 circle windows that you can't cover to save your soul so I'm going to cover it with this tangled painting just big enough to cover the size 

I'm looking for some type of rug for the middle, but I'm cheap so I'll probably wait until I find one on sale.  I also want something on the wall her bed is against.  I have 4 large canvases I think I'm going to put Bible verses on.  There are a few more personal details I'm going to add, but there's no way to really describe them without sounding crazy.

I'll post pictures when I'm finished. This should be a fun and crazy week, but that's the Aragon Life! 

The Book of Faith

I could write a book on my child.  She is quite a spirited one.  People would probably think I was lying, but if you've been around her, you know it's true.
-She has quite a vocabulary.  Many of the words she uses have no meaning to her, she just hears them somewhere and they are permanently embedded into her freakish memory.   She will say things are "awkward" or "annoying" just because someone on the Disney Channel said that.  After her telling me she didn't want to live with me anyone (thanks to Good Luck Charlie) we've cut out a lot of shows were were allowing her to watch because we semi-enjoyed them with her.  She will call you a "rotten codfish" or a "black hearted scoundrel" faster than you can come up with a response because she is, in fact, Peter Pan 75% of the time.
-The craziest one of all though came from her love of all shows Looney Tunes.  She keeps calling people----- brace yourself----- "silly puss!"  Is that not the most vile thing you've ever hear in your life?!?!  It makes me cringe every time she says it.  I don't want her to know it's bad because she IS the kind of kid that says things for the response, but on the other hand, I want her to quit saying it ASAP!  You try to explain to someone in Wal-Mart why your 3 year old daughter just called them a puss- not fun, people!
-The other day with the most serious face she looked at my mom and said "I just have to ask you one thing, Grandma.  Just when am I going to get my life back?"  Wow, Faith. I didn't realize nap was so tough on you. :)
She also says a few word so crazily I cannot pass up sharing them:
-Just recently we put up our Christmas decor and she was so pumped to find the "wiki natters."  Guys- she was talking about the nutcrackers and seriously was disgusted with me and TJ for calling them their actual name.
-She also pines for the day when she will be a "delote."  What is a delote, you ask?  Ummm, yeah, that would be an ADULT!

I think by the time she's a "delote and gets her life back" I'll have a head full of gray hair.