Gobble Gobble

Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.  ~W.T. Purkiser 

If you count all your assets, you always show a profit.  ~Robert Quillen

Earmuffs, Please.....

The dialogue you're about to hear is offensive, this is video of Steve catching his first shark.  But, before watching, you must be warned:  this was a testosterone-charged  boat, so the language you hear is crude and foul.  I personally didn't think this video should be on my PG blog, but Steve insisted, "Gretch, this was a huge accomplishment, people are going to want to watch this!"  Okay, buddy, who am I to rob you of your time in the sun?

This Won't Get Him Husband of the Year

Steve slapped down the "A thousand fantasies" Victoria Secret catalog on the table.  

Steve: "Well, let's see if any of these women have your Mom haircut." 

Steve: "Nope, not this one. She's got long hair."

Steve: "Long hair"  flips a couple more pages "long hair, again" 

Steve: "Long hair, long hair, long hair!"  "See what all these women have in common?"

Me:  Very sarcastically, "Their hair is not the most common attribute they share."

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised he doesn't love my hair.  When I came home from getting it cut he said, "it's not bad, and if you don't cut it again it will grow back."  The honesty in our relationship is so refreshing!

Pitsenbarger Girls' Weekend XIV

        We had a record turnout this year for girls' weekend, there was a grand total of 11!  Mom and I wanted to make it special and filled with fun so we planned the days down to a T. In hindsight, we should have scheduled a little more down time, because more than once I (and some other people!) was found taking a cat nap in the car!  We tried to plan events that highlighted what makes Fort Worth special-- the Stockyards, Joe T. Garcia's Mexican Restaurant, Water Gardens, Sam Moon, (yes, this is special to those who like to shop!) Babe's restaurant and a trip to the DFW Adventure Park.

Mom and I designed these super-cute shirts....."I Survived Pitsenbarger Girls' Weekend"  What's to survive, you ask?  Try putting eleven women together with all their hormones, quirks, and opinions and see if you make it to the other side! 

Zip lining looked soo exciting!  I sat out and took pictures, growing a beanie-baby has the occasional draw backs!  But, being the photograpger was fun, too.

 

Aunt Peg was so brave going upside down.  Unfortunately, her twin counterpart wasn't quite so brave.  So much for identical twins being completely identical!

This started as a simple morning walk with me reassuring everyone it was just a few drops and would clear up quickly.  The Biblical rain that ensued proved me terribly wrong.

 

 A murder mystery dinner that ended in a surprise birthday party for Aunt Mindy and Aunt Linda.  Everyone really got into character and played along.  I was Ms. Gray, a no nonsense attorney, it was a little challenging to be so dull--so different from the real "me"! 

 Don't I look like just one of the sisters?!

 

 The Fort Worth Water Gardens.  A little frightening walking down with both kids.  Aunt Julie and I both had white-knuckled hands on Gavin.  It was worth the walk to get to the bottom and watch all the water fall. 

 

Grammy so kindly watched the boys while we attended all of our girl activities.  One the last day, thinking for sure Grammy was in need of a break, we broke the rules and let the boys tag along with us.  My boys had to be the most spoiled kids in the South on this day!  From longhorn balloon hats, candy, rides on every quarter ride in the Stockyards, a horse drawn carriage ride with GrandmaPits, and even rides on Aunt Peg's shoulders, these Bruisers had it all!  

 Harrison with his Godmother, Ashly.  They bunked together every night.  Harrison loved snuggling with her.  The boys were sad on Monday when they came home from school and everyone was gone.  Gavin kept looking around saying, "where er'body go?!?"  

Where was Steve you want to know?  Why wasn't he available to watch his boys?  Due to a scheduling conflict, a guys' weekend in Key West was planned on this exact same weekend.  Steve said it was one of the best trips he'd ever taken with my family and his highlight.....reeling in a 7 1/2 foot shark!  

 Babe's restaurant held up its reputation with being voted the best fried chicken in the South.  I think this may have been Grandma's favorite meal. 

Time To Give A Little Back

There are so many ways to give.  Money, time, service....or your hair.  I've been given so many blessings, my hair seems like a really simple way to give back.  Locks of Love is a great organization that makes wigs for children that have hair loss from illness or alopecia totalis-meaning they will never regrow their hair.  The cost of the wig is free to the child. 

I'm kinda a Suri Cruise look-a-like.  I'm okay with looking like a four year old. 

This will hopefully go to someone who appreciates some nice brown hair!

.Miracle.

A miracle is an unexpected event attributed to divine intervention, it  may also refer to any statistically unlikely but beneficial event.

All I have wanted since I was very young was to be a mother.  I used to think one day I would live in a hospital because that was the place that would have enough rooms to house my many children.  My adult dreams have whittled away a hospital amount of children to a more reasonable number of what my minivan can hold.  Patience is not an attribute given to me, my timing of when I think things should happen isn't always in the Big Man's plan.   My journey of motherhood has taught me more than any textbook could offer.  I learned to appreciate the 'moment' with my children, not taking for granted this precious time with them.  I have learned it takes a tremendous amount of strength to accept that I am not in control.  My life was given to me and everything in it is a gift from God.

Perhaps I have learned what God wanted me to know from this chapter in parenting.  Because, a couple of weeks ago, I woke up to find this:

Is that not the best eight-letter word you've ever seen!  Well, maybe besides Harrison, that's a pretty good eight-letter word, too.  We are incredibly excited and thankful.....and excited! 

Did I mention that I'm excited?!?

It's November...

and it's 'no shirt, no shoes, no problem!' 

I LOVE Texas in the fall!

To all my Auntie's, cousins and Grandma coming from the North next week--

get ready to get your Vitamin D on! I can't wait to see all of you!