Dutch Blitz

Did you miss me?

A week or so ago we had the privelage of being invited to a life size version of the game Dutch Blitz. Sound interesting? Let me tell you, it's craziness.

Before the game, Dawson got in some good playing time with friends.

 Steph and I just wanted to show off our big lips. We thought that was a good scare tactic against all our competitors.

Here is an example of the capacity of the game we were playing here. The cards are ginormous!

Holly, Steph & I were on a team. One pic with our game faces. One pic prepared to win.

But win we did not! There were cheaters. But I won't name names. Josh.

Holly and Steph shuffling our cards.

Do you know how to play Dutch Blitz? Have you ever played it? Because playing it with regular sized cards is a whole different level than playing them with intensley massive cards. By the way, the guy who made the cards is a friend of ours and he was the one who brought this whole thing together. Thanks Steve.

So,

The whole point of the game is to be the first person to get rid of all your cards in blitz pile. I have no clue if that's what the pile is called, but it is now.

They are based first on color, then by number. So if you have a Red one you run it ou to the middle of the gym throw it down and all the other players build on that on up to 10 if they have red cards. Is this making sense? If not, read someone else's blog because I'm too confusing. So if i have a red two I hand it to Steph who runs the card out to the middle to lay it on a red one. But if someone else also has a red 2 they will attack her and push her down or possibly kill her in order to lay their card. Well, probably not kill her. We're not the mafia.

Here's video. Maybe it will make more sense. Maybe not.

And that's the story of the day I was nearly killed playing a card game.

And it wasn't even Poker. Over money.

Now really I did want to blog about my most horrible day I had last week, because as many of you have discovered by now, drama surrounds my life. But first, guess what? Jason and I were watching one of his ocean videos he has. On this video there was a diver who had gone into a cave system (under water of course) and he was feeding a fish easy-cheese. That's no joke.

Now on to my day. First of all, I found a spider in the basement at work. I hate spiders. And I had to jump off the bottom step over to the door jump through the door over to the place where I needed to put textbooks away. All to avoid being eaten. Now I'm afraid of the basement. That spider probably has a family down there by down. That is a bad way to start off your day. After a long day at work I came home and needed to sweep the living room floor. So I had everything removed from the floor. Then I put everything back. Just to discover I had swept the entire floor with the sweeper being on the hose setting. Ugh. So I ended up sweeping the floor twice. And really this next part is the worst part of my day. I was in the bathroom ready to brush my teeth when much to my demise I noticed a freckle on my lip. on my lip. How do you get a freckle there? I don't want a freckle on my lip! I have enough already to cover all the faces in China! I was so disgusted I almost didn't brush my teeth. But I did. No worries. Fresh breath all around.

And that's my bad day story.

Now to leave you with my new thing I found in the book of Exodus where I'm reading: This is God prepping Moses about the miracles He will be able to perform through him so that the Israelites will believe him when he speaks.

2 Then the LORD said to him, "What is that in your hand?" "A staff," he replied.

3 The LORD said, "Throw it on the ground." Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it.

See! I'm deathly afraid of snakes! And now I really know that I am not the only one!

Thank you Moses.

Property Manager

I'm sad to report that after 8 total years of being together, it has become apparent that Jason and I need a property manager. No need to fret, as one has already made himself available us.-This is without even advertising. His name is Dawson. He has excellent skills in this area, though on occasion I have questioned his ability to discern who really does on what. He assures me he is correct so I don't ask anymore.

Case in point:

Dialogue between our new property manager while shopping in Lowe's last evening. (yes, isn't it nice that our property manager agrees to accompany us on outings, should a fight ensue over the ownership of certain items).

Property Manager: Daddy!! Dats Mommy's!!

(referring to diaper bag hanging nonchalantly over daddy's shoulder)

Daddy: Yes Dawson, I'm just carrying it.

Property Manager: Mommy!! Dats Yours!!

Mommy: Yes Dawson, Daddy has to carry it because I'm holding you.

Property Manger: (sucks his thumb, this answer must have been okay with him this time around)

At daycare they have been trying to teach the older toddlers to drink from regular cups rather than a sippy cup. Yesterday I had made chocolate milk to drink with my lunch and I was about to take a drink when Dawson yelled out "Mommy! 2 hands!". Good thing he keeps me in line. I can't imagine the devastation that could have ensued by my one handed drinking binge.

AND NOW FOR THE BIG NEWS

Several of you have been telling us that Dawson needs another sibling. Too bad. I'm not pregnant. But if you'd like to pester Jason at least 407 times a day, I may be in time for Dawson's 30th birthday! But I digress...

The real news is this: Dawson has gone potty in the big potty at daycare 2 times now!!!

I'm so proud to be the mother of a big potty goer. He has tried to go at home but I personally think he just likes like sitting because he doesn't go when he sits on it. Won't Dawson be thrilled to read about this someday?

And while I'm going on and on today about my little potty genius let's talk about oral hygiene.

Here's video I took of Dawson one day while he was playing.

And since I feel the strange need to have a picture on here, this is it:

Wii Partii

How do you like that? My own clever play on words. Partii. ha.

So... Jason and I got a Wii. And we like it.
Do I sound boring today? I'm already feeling like this post needs a shot of espresso.
I'll be right back.

Ahhh. I feel better now. I created that.
I feel it gives expression to my feelings toward espresso.

So,
Steph & Josh came over Wednesday night and brought their controllers and their Mario Kart wheels and we uploaded their Mii's to our Wii board. I wish I had a picture because my Mii is pretty dang cute. We tried to create a Mii for Dawson but they didn't have one that sucks it's thumb.
Here are some pictures and video of our wii partii with Josh & Steph:

And for the record, I beat Jason at boxing the other day!

Since I'm on the subject, here are pictures I took last week of Jason and Dawson playing Jason's PS1. And now I'm trying to talk him into selling it and the games he has for it at our next garage sale. Any takers?

They were playing a racing game and Dawson kept running over trees and getting stuck in corners but he enjoyed it nevertheless.

I have to end this post with 2 videos of Dawson running. This is simply because it cracks me up. Jason finds it most funny that Dawson doesn't move his arms when he runs. Just watch...

I just had a thought. Has there ever been a time on Jeodpardy where all 3 contestants wound up with $0 after waging everything on the final jeopardy round? That would be funny.

The Great Mother's Day Debate

I'm really hope you weren’t expecting to read some dramatic debate about the origin of Mother’s Day or what took place the day I realized I had no pictures taken of me and Dawson on my very first Mother’s Day…Because really all I needed was a good TITLE.
I am really not a curmudgeon on most occasions. Thank you for allowing me to write that sentence. I have always wanted to use the word curmudgeon in a blog post because I like how it sounds.
Here are the pictures I had Jason take on Sunday for Mother’s Day:

Take a good look at those bottome 2 pics: first of all, Jason cut off the top of my head, THEN, Dawson up and gets angry at ME! sheesh. happy mother's day.

Moving on.

The story is told of an 8 year old boy who was just about as naughty as they come. This kid was evil, mean, rotten, and nasty! So much so that as Christmas Day approached, his mother informed him that Santa was not going to give him any presents under the tree. Well, this irked Junior, so he ran upstairs to his bedroom, pulled out a sheet of paper from his little desk and composed a letter to Jesus to see if He would persuade Santa to give him presents for Christmas. His first draft went something like this:

Dear Jesus,

I promise to be a good boy for one whole year if you will tell Santa Claus to give me presents for Christmas.

He looked at that letter and knew good and well he wasn’t going to last a whole year. So he tried again. 3 months. And again. 2 weeks. And again, each time shortening the length of days required to be a good boy. He came up with this:

Dear Jesus,

I promise to be a good boy for one whole day if you will tell Santa Claus to give me presents for Christmas.

He thought he could be good for one day but bounding out of his bedroom, he paused at the top of the stairs, realizing he couldn’t even make it for one day. I’m telling you, this little tyke was evil, mean, rotten and nasty! So what does an evil, mean, rotten and nasty kid do when confronted with such a dilemma? Well, he decided to run downstairs and, taking the little figurine of Mary from the nativity set on the mantel, ran back to his bedroom, pulled one last sheet of paper from his drawer and proceeded to write:

Dear Jesus,

If you ever want to see your mother again…

That excerpt was taken from a devotional I’m currently reading by Steve Fry entitled: "A God Who Heals the Heart” and it’s very very good. I encourage anyone to buy it and read it! I’m sure I’ll have more quotes from it in the future to share.

Oh Snap! I forgot to upload pictures of last year’s Mother’s Day. Oh well.
I had to use that expression “oh snap” because the punk kid I was talking to on the phone while ordering Papa John’s pizza for a training day at work said it when he screwed up my order. And now, it’s my new favorite phrase. It’s superior to several other choice words he could have selected at the time. Thank you papa john’s punk.

And now, because I’m in such a giddy mood, let’s take one look at a passage of scripture that I found very intriguing in my reading this week in Genesis 46 :
(28) Now Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen.
Ha! That’s right men! Stopping to ask for directions is biblical!

Okay just a few last things to leave you with.
The shirt I should purchase for Dawson:

And for me I’m thinking something more along the lines of:

The day my lunchbreak got hijacked

I thought it would be simple. I had it all planned out. I’ll just go over my lunch break, still have time to tan, see Dawson and be back in my office with minutes to spare.
But that is NOT how life goes now is it?

This is the account of my lunch break on Monday. My very planned, yet hijacked lunch break…

I had a cold a little over a week ago coughing up the good green stuff. I basically got over that but this tightness in my chest would not go away and it was hard for me to breathe. So I decided enough was enough and I would just run to Redimed over my lunch break, have a little once over, get some meds and be done with the whole thing. Did anyone shudder at the word Redimed? Because you should. They will hijack your plans and give you heart problems. Probably.

Here is the play by play of my hijacked lunchbreak.

1. I left the office and stopped in to see Dawson for a quick minute, basically to drop off a family photo we forgot to give them on Friday and they needed. Gave Dawson hugs and kisses and headed to go tan. So far, so good.
2. I went to tan. I am now up to 12 minutes folks! I started out at 3 minutes (because I am a fair maiden) and look at me now! In another 2 weeks or so I’ll be up to 20!
3. Redimed…

I went in, gave them my license and new insurance cards, sat and read a People magazine and ignored the annoying Soap Opera that was on tv. There really was no one else waiting. So what was the wait?! (I’d still like to know). But about 10 minutes passed and the nurse called me into exam room #3. That’s right. I even know which exam room I was in. Instantly I was hungry and had to pee. In that order. And I kept thinking “I hope they hurry because maybe I can go grab a bit to eat and have a little more time with Dawson before heading back) I mean hey-I get a whole HOUR. The nurse asked me my symptoms. “I think I’m over my cold but for whatever reason I have tightness in my chest and I’m not able to breathe real well. It’s worse when I exersice, I cannot breathe deeply or catch my breath while I run. It’s only been like this for about 4 days”. Okay. She took my temp. no temp. She took my blood pressure. Found out I have blood. The pressure on my blood is good. (I’m sure Ashley can fill me in on what that one means) and left to go and get the doc whom she said is very good. So I waited. There was another People magazine in Exam room #3 lucky for me! Doc came in and had me repeat what I told the nurse but first with a series of questions, do you: smoke? No. Drink? No-but I just may take it up after the day I had... any chance you’re pregnant? No. So she decided to listen with her stethoscope. She found out I have a heart. BUT, she could not hear anything wrong with my lungs. And this is where my doctor’s visit/lunch break gets hijacked!
She says, “well, I really don’t hear any rattling or other noise in your lungs that would suggest you have bronchitis or any fluid or blockage, so this is what we’ll need to do: (in this order)
1. Run an EKG

2. Nebulizer (breathing treatment)

3. Chest X-Ray

 

4. Blood Test.

 

WHAT?!I believe she may have been able to tell by my distressed look that perhaps I was a bit overwhelmed by her suggestions. So she said “well, this may seem a bit overboard but I need to eliminate all possibilities of you having any kind of problem with your heart, or blood clot in your lungs.”
Hmm. I just wanted a Z-pak really. (but I didn’t say that, I sat nervously and kept my peace and wanted to cry and please… isn’t there a cookie or something I could eat? What about a bathroom? Maybe the pressure from my bladder is causing my lungs angst.)

So. Before I could say anything, in walks the 2 nurses with the probes for the EKG. They put it all together stuck to my chest and stomach and they had to do it all AGAIN because the first reading was bad because probe number one was not stuck sufficiently. Chalk that one up. I got 2 EKG’s in one day. Neither of which I needed. I didn’t even know what one was to be honest. I thought I’d have to lay in some claustrophobic contraption why they took scans of my insides causing cancerous cells from the radiation.

On to the nebulizer… I sat and breathed in liquid air for a good 5 minutes but I’m pretty sure the nurse forgot about me. And actually once it was over I could breathe MUCH much better. So I told the doctor that when she came to check on me. She made me promise I wasn’t lying so I could leave (she’s a tricky one, that doctor) but I assured her I wasn’t. She still wanted me to get the chest x-ray. So I headed in to the nurse and panicked once I saw the table. It was a scary table. And I didn’t want to lay on it and I was hungry, had to pee and now cold! So I begged and pleaded. She talked to the doctor who told me she understood and I could skip the chest x-ray and the blood test and she would prescribe and inhaler for me so I could breathe better and if I still didn’t feel better by Wednesday I could call her directly and she’d get me a Z-pak so that I wouldn’t have to pay an additional $20 co-pay for a second visit. Hmm. That day I decided I would from now on, just begin my Redimed experience with a SECOND visit. So that I can just get my Z-pak and get out.
Oh, and I never went and got the inhaler because now I’m just fine. Thank you mister nebulizer.

Digestion runs very deep in my family

4 claps, a snap and a shout out to the first person who can tell me what movie that quote is from!

*Danielle, you win the prize for claiming the "while you were sleeping" quote! Everyone please give Danielle 2 snaps and a hoorah. Go.

Just some pictures of Dawson having fun with Aunt Bobbie and Uncle David.

Do you see the jeans Bobbie has on in this picture? Because I had to have them. So I went straight to Wal-Mart to purchase some for myself right after she left. That's the kind of affect my big sister has on me.

Grandma KK came over and brought Dawson a new book. She forgot to take her sunglasses off, so don't be distracted. Although, she is a very HIP grandma.

This weekend we're having a garage sale at my mom's house so you are all welcome to come and buy our stuff to support out habit of liking to have money to buy new things. And if you're nice, we may give you a discount.

The Mayor of Daycare

Jason said when he came to pick Dawson up from the Y the other day that Dawson was in such a good mood, he trotted down the hallway ahead of him to go out just waving and saying goodbye to everyone he passed. When I got home Jason wanted to share the story with me because he thought it was so funny, so he began by saying, “Yeah, our son is the mayor of daycare”…

And now it’s time for:
7 Random Things

(you can stop jumping up and down now)

*editors note: when I was trying to think of some of my own Jason says “of course you will think of some, you are the most random person I know”. Great.

Jason:1. In 4th grade at summer camp I got asked out for my first time and I asked where we would go, because… how could we leave camp? So her friends had to explain.

2. I have a keen eye for crooked art on the wall. I have a very strong urge to fix it!

3. All radio volume has to be set at even numbered increments.

4. I once swam in the Amazon with piranah’s. true story. My dad was catching them on the other side of the boat while I swam

5. I am obsessed with ocean life.

6. I never knew midgets could drive until I saw one when I was in a Taco Bell drive thru

7. I can make a woman’s sports bra from men’s underwear. Email me for instructions.
Joy:1. I sometimes think with my finger on my nose

2. I pluck out my mole hair on my chin with my thumb and ring finger. *see random story regarding this below…

3. I put salt and pepper on my French toast. NO syrup!

4. I like the sound made when you pop open a can of pepsi.

5. I had second degree burns on my feet from a youth trip to Florida. I even had a doctor’s note permitting me to go to work barefoot everyday for a week.

6. We had milk snakes in the ceiling of our house growing up. I could see and hear them slither sometimes at night where the tile had fallen down and there was only plastic remaining.

7. I have a recurring dream about tornadoes. There are several of them headed toward my old house where I grew up and I always run to find shelter in my neighbor’s cellar who lived up the hill. (those same neighbors still live in that house).

*mole hair story:

One time I was doing some bathroom business (not in “Joy’s Johns”! -at home) reading a book when Dawson came barging in. I had a sweatshirt on with the hood strings hanging down. Dawson reached up and I thought he was going grab the string from my hood. Instead he was reaching for my chin mole hair. No joke. It depressed me for 2 days. Dawson even sees my chin mole hair. How will I ever be a model?

Do I Like Jell-o?

3 snaps and a hoorah to the first person who can tell me what movie that quote is from.

This past weekend Dawson gave me an "aha" moment. Actually, it was more like a "hmmm. I wonder how I should feel about this" moment.... On my way to work on Friday, I was actually running a little early even though I had Dawson with me. So I decided to pull in to Starbucks to order my usual. The moment I pulled into the parking lot headed for the drive-thru Dawson yelled out "Coffee!". Seriously. Had he been there with me that many times before? But the worst one was this. And it just happened yesterday. We were on our way to a church where Jason had to do some presentations. He stopped at a gas station and I asked him to get me a cappucino. (I know one other person who shares my love for gas station cappucino's *Ashley*) Jason got back in the Jeep and handed me my cappucino, after which Dawson promptly yelled out "Mocha!" what?! Oh yes he did. I'm ashamed. My 2 year old son knows what a mocha is. Despite the fact that my Starbuck's addiction can get a little pricey, I began reflecting on these 2 lovely events and decided...

No More Starbucks... when Dawson is in the car with me.

Here is a picture of Dawson with my shoes on. I personally believe they still look better on me.

Overheard this morning between Jason and Dawson while Jason was putting him in his carseat:

(Dawson was determined that he would snap his seatbelt restraints)

Dawson: No daddy! I do it! Let me do it! I do it Daddy!

Jason: Yes Dawson, you're in charge. I'm just the helper.

... I wish I had gotten that one on tape.

...................................................................

Finally,

Let me leave you with a few clips of what we do for fun in the Wilkins' household...

The second clip will be of particular interest to Greg & Gloria.

He Will Save You

This story begins almost 10 years ago, during a summer that I was living with my sister Anita just before my junior year of college. It was evening and my heart was very heavy for some reason. I couldn’t pinpoint it but I knew I needed to pray. My sister wasn’t home so I was left alone. I shut myself into my bedroom, put my favorite song “He Will Come and Save You” by Bob Fitts on repeat, laid prostrate on the floor and began to sob. I had no idea why this intense feeling was over me. I tired to pray and my sister Sherri kept coming to mind but I didn’t know what I was praying for. I laid there for over an hour in prayer and intercession for my sister.

…Fastforward…

It was my junior year of college. The week of fall break to be exact. I was alone in my dorm because most weekends and holidays my roommates went home. Actually, on most occasions I would be home too, but this day was a Sunday, and I was planning to attend church with some friends of mine who were visiting from North Carolina.

I was pretty excited about this little get together though I don’t remember what church it was we were going too.

That morning after I rolled out of bed I really felt prompted in my heart to read my bible. I knew I was supposed to read a certain scripture but I didn’t know what. So I opened my bible up and there in front of me was Isaiah 35. My eyes landed on verse 4.

4: "say to those with fearful hearts, 'Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you'."

Hm.

I was really unaware of what God might be trying to say to me through this verse. But I kept it in the back of my mind and sort of mulled it over while I got ready for church.

I finished getting ready quite early. My friend Carrie wouldn’t be coming to pick me up for a while. Because I had that scripture in the back of my mind, a familiar song kept coming and playing in my heart that actually has some of the same words in it from the previous scripture. I kept feeling very strongly that I should play it. I figured it, “it can’t hurt” so I popped my Bob Fitts’ cd in my cd player and blasted song #8 entitled “He Will Come and Save You”. Here are the words to that song.

Say to those who are fearful hearted Do not be afraid

The Lord your God is strong And with His mighty arms

When you call on His Name

He will come and save

(chorus)

He will come and save you

He will come and save you

Say to the weary oneYour God will surely come

He will come and save you

He will come and save you

He will come and save you

Lift up your eyes to Him

You will arise again

He will come and save you

Say to those who are broken hearted

Do not lose your faith

The Lord your God is strong

With His loving arms

When you call on His Name

He will come and save

(bridge)

He is our refuge in the day of trouble

He is our shelter in the time of storm

He is our tower in the day of sorrow

Our fortress in the time of war

(chorus)

When I finished listening to the song, I was deeply moved, though I didn’t know why. I knew God was trying to tell me something, but what?

Because I had my music up so loud I didn’t hear my phone ring. When the song was finished, I could hear beeping coming from the living room. It was the answering machine. I walked over to the phone an listened to the message. It was my sister Anita calling. She was crying and she said "Joy, honey, you need to come home. Sherri died.” She gave no details.

My heart dropped to the floor. What? What does she mean? Is this real? What is happening? I don’t understand…. I dropped to my knees but I didn’t cry. I remember thinking I needed to wait for Carrie to come to tell her I needed to leave. I left a note on the kitchen table for my other roommates telling them what happened and that I would be gone and I didn’t know for how long. Once Carrie arrived, I shared the news and headed home.

It’s a 45 minute drive from Bethel College to my mom’s house. I remember crying in the car, I was trembling and praying and telling God that I knew that at any moment he could bring my sister back to life. I literally believed it. But I knew it wasn’t going to happen. God spoke to me and I knew I was to have the song “He Will come and Save You” played at Sherris funeral. I still didn’t even know what happened to my sister, but God had set events in motion that to this day I don’t fully understand.

Despite the circumstances I was remarkably peaceful. I had a calmness in my heart that I cannot explain along with deep grief and sadness. The night before Sherri’s funeral I got really sick. I laid in bed and my room started spinning. Then I got physically sick. At that moment the phone rang. It was our pastor’s wife calling. She asked my mom what was wrong with me. God had laid me on her heart and she knew there was something wrong. She said there was a spiritual battle going on and she needed to pray for me. After that phone call I was fine.

The last part of this story may be even harder to comprehend or understand but all I can say is that God was really truly with me on the day of Sherry’s funeral. And though I cannot express entirely the emotions I was feeling and all that was happening, I will do the best that I can. And if you are a skeptic of God or even of the Holy Spirit, please let this story soften your heart and open you up to the goodness of God. Because He loves you, and He will come and save you.

The day of Sherri’s funeral was a blur. All except one portion. It came the time for the pastor to play my song. I had forgotten the cd at school. So I prayed that if the Lord really wanted me to have this song played that I would find another recording of it somehow. Right after I prayed that prayer, I found a recording of it on a cassette tape I had made that I had in my bedroom. So I used that cassette tape. I remember sitting alone in the front row of the funeral home. Pastor Bill started the player and the song began playing. I closed my eyes and the most intense, overwhelming feeling of worship consumed me. All at once the room disappeared and I was alone with God. I no longer recognized that I was at the funeral of my beloved sister. My heart was face to face with God. I was just worshipping. And it was the most beautiful, meaningful worship I have ever experienced in my entire life. I am actually crying as I type this. God met me that day. At the most unlikely of places. In the midst of the death of one who was so very important to me. I forever hold that memory dear to my heart. Although it was through such tragic circumstances, God used that moment to change my life forever.