TV Show Dates

Good Thursday morning!

I hope this post finds you and yours doing well... enjoying the beautiful fall weather wherever you may be.

Before I begin, you've probably noticed the pictures of the famous Jon and Kate at the top of the blog. You're also probably wondering, "What is the story behind the pics?" Well, you'll just have to read the entire blog post today to find the explanation at the bottom. Or I guess you could just skip down to the bottom of the post. I'll never know the difference, will I?

As the holidays approach, I always become a little short of breath thinking of all the things "to do" in the days ahead, but I try to catch myself and make sure I don't miss Thursday, November 6, 2008 by looking too far ahead. There will never be another Thursday, November 6, 2008 again... EVER. This is it, folks!

Will it be exciting? Will it be sad? Will I be able to find JOY somewhere in my day? Will the kids have good days or bad days at school? Will I come in contact with someone who needs a kind word or encouragement, and be focused enough on others instead of myself to deliver that word?

Every day is not a monumental, memorable day in our lives. Every day couldn't be. Our heads would explode... or at least mine would because I would think I would have to scrapbook every little thing every little day. Can you say STRESSSS? But there is something or someone special out there on this Thursday, November 6, 2008. Do I brace myself for the worse, or do I eagerly look forward to the possibilities this day may bring? (Hate to admit it... I usually brace myself. I have to work very hard to "eagerly look forward," but I believe I should get credit for knowing that I do have to work toward that end.) For those of you who don't know me, I'm real big on getting credit!

Here's a little verse I want to share on this November 6, 2008, the only November 6, 2008 there will ever be. I hope it is an amazing day for you and your family.

"This is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Thou art my God, and I give thanks to Thee; Thou art my God, I extol Thee. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting." Ps. 118:24, 28-29. Thank goodness! A little everlasting lovingkindness in any day is a great thing!

Now for a date!

TV Show Dates

Ages - TV show that is age appropriate for you and your child

On any given Monday night at 8:00 p.m., Roxie and I pile up on my bed and watch Jon & Kate Plus Eight. We snuggle and talk about how cute Aaden is; how Kate is wound a little tight (kind of like ME); etc. No boys allowed. No questions at the door. Nada. Nothing. Just me and my girl. We look forward to it each and every Monday.

Now, you may think a little 30 minute date in the back bedroom is not a big deal, but it is. It is much needed time for the two of us to be alone together; and we both selfishly guard that time.

With Austin, I started watching 24 last year, and we caught up on all the episodes. It's hard to take a 17 year-old young man on a one-on-one date out in public with his mom, so this works out great for us. This time, we're in the den, me in my chair and him sprawled out all over the couch, and we spend the hour with our breath held hoping Jack Bauer can stop the terrorist one more time. It is much needed time for the two of us to be alone together; and we both selfishly guard that time.

Josh and I are Lost fans. Same room, same positions (chair and couch), different show. At 15 years of age, he'll still let me take him out if major amounts of food are involved, but we have a more relaxed time one-on-one watching our show. It is much needed time for the two of us to be alone together; and we both selfishly guard that time.

I know what you're thinking. All this family does is watch TV! Jon & Kate, 24, Lost, Survivor, Amazing Race! Just keep in mind, all of these shows don't come on the same time of the year. Lost and 24 aren't even televised right now. I guess what I'm saying is if you are doing this with five or more children... yeah, it could be a problem. But it works for our family of three kids, and it could definitely work with yours. Pick carefully, and enjoy looking forward to that weekly time with your gal or guy. And remember... its FREE!

I wanted to share a little story about Jon and Kate. A few weeks ago, they came to Birmingham for the Southern Women's Show. I called my cousins and my sister (she couldn't come) to see if they wanted to see them in person and away we went. They were going to be appearing on the stage at 1:00. We were careful to get there at 12:00 noon. There was a fashion show going on at that time. I told my cousins to look around, and I would grab some seats after the fashion show.

I stood at the back of a group of women (who were also standing) six people deep. I noticed they weren't paying attention to the fashion show. "They're waiting to get the fashion show people's seats," I thought to myself. That's when I noticed to the far right against the wall there were just a few moms with strollers standing behind the seats to the side. Not the best seats, but seats nonetheless. I made my way slowly to the right. Now I was standing right behind the seated fashion show people.

Again, I'm noticing they aren't paying attention to the fashion show, so I lightly tap the lady on the last row and ask her if she's leaving after the show. "Oh, no. I'm here for Jon and Kate. Everyone is." Hmmm. Problem. How to solve? How to solve?

I talk to a young mother with a stroller and baby standing beside me. "Are you here for Jon and Kate, too?"

"Oh, yes. No one cares about this fashion show. We're all here for Jon and Kate," she said.

More Hmmm. I then start scoping out the people sitting. That's when I notice two 85+ year-old women sitting, eating and drinking... and not paying attention to the fashion show. They had really good seats, too. I moved toward that section of the seats. Quickly putting them in the same age category as my 87 year-old grandmother, I determined that they had just sat down to rest, eat and drink. My grandmother doesn't care for Jon and Kate. She doesn't see the point. (She's one of eight kids like a lot of women in her generation. Probably not a huge accomplishment as far as she's concerned.) I watch staring a hole in the back of their respective heads.

They slowly start picking up their wrappers and drinks. They have spread out over three seats (which is the number I need). This makes sense because 80+ year-old women don't like to put their things on the floor because it's too much trouble to bend down and pick them up. I know this because at 47 and counting, I like to leave my stuff on a chair beside me because it's getting to be too much trouble to bend down and pick it up.

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice the young moms with small children aren't watching because the kids are misbehaving. The two older women start the journey to slowly stand up and as soon as their posterior is far enough off the seats, I slide in sideways and "semi-lie" down on the three empty seats (hoping against hope they don't plop back down) and as they leave, I put all my things in the two empty seats beside me. YES! Step one - Complete.

Now I have angry and embittered women with strollers wanting my empty seats and the vultures start circling. I start calling my cousins non-stop on their cell phones and looking for them in the crowd to come claim the seats. "Are you holding seats?" someone asks me "not-so-nicely."

"My cousins are here in the building and they're on their way. I promise." You could tell she didn't believe me.

I'm desperately trying to watch the crowd for the cousins (who WILL NOT pick up their phones) and trying to avoid eye-contact with all the angry, embittered women. I had a plan in my head that when the next young mom with a toddler tried to get my seats, I would pull the pacifier out of the kid's mouth and launch it across the stage... No, that wouldn't work. Sometimes they have extra pacifiers. I'd have to chunk a bottle to get them off my trail. Yeah. That's it... a bottle. No, no, no. With my luck they'd be breast feeding moms and still have the milk source with them. What would make a mom leave two empty seats and go searching for something? And then I had it! A baby shoe. I've retraced my steps up to two miles looking for a lost baby shoe. I would simply wrestle a little boy or girl's baby shoe off their tiny foot and throw it as far as I possibly could into the ever-growing crowd; thus, making the angry, embittered mom leave to look for the lost footwear. GENIUS! Now, that's a plan! Not an "I'm a Christian mom of three" plan, but a very workable "no one knows me here" plan (I hope).

My phone began ringing. Please, please, please be a cousin. It was. "Stand up so we can see where you're sitting."

"Have you lost your mind! If I stand up, all will be lost. (I tend to talk in theatrical mode when I get nervous.) Just keep walking toward the wall."

Yes! They made it. We had great seats to see Jon and Kate. We thoroughly enjoyed them. We got into line to take pictures and get an autograph. And that, my friends, is why there are pictures of Jon and Kate posted at the top of my blog today!

Tomorrow I'll share the most special Christmas book I've ever read, and I'll tell you why it means so much to me.

Have a great Thursday!