Happy Birthday, Straight Hair!

Six years ago today, I was leaving the delivery room to roll in to watch the UT vs. Georgia game in my hospital room with my sweet, second baby boy.  Happy, happy birthday little bear.  I'm so thankful He chose me to be your mommy!!

The Straight Hair

our true "middle-child" - on the straight and narrow at all times, always focusing on the task at hand, aims for completion and praise, questions everything, needs his daddy's kudos every day, wants dessert after every meal, looks far older than his actual age, longs to understand life's perpetual questions, wears his heart on his sleeve at all times, a gentle giant, so much like his father in all things it can be overwhelming, pushes me to be a better mother everyday.

Last Day the Straight Hair is a Nickel

Tomorrow the Straight Hair turns 6!

 

A day in his life...

• Lunch eating mac-n-cheese and bottomless ice cream cones with one aunt, one set of grandparents, and our family...$28
• Picking out a new ninja + sword Halloween costume...$25
• Going into PetSmart to get a new Betta fish, fish bowl, and fish food...$18
• Stopping by his grandmother's house for a quick visit...free
• Wandering through the kitchen tonight saying to the Committee and me, "Today was a really fun day!"...PRICELESS

 

As they say in the hokey-pokey, "And that's what it is all about!"  Well, that comment from the Straight Hair is certainly what my life is all about. 

 

The past two weeks have been fall break for the Curlee Hairs.  We had hoped to go to the beach with the boys for the first time, but we just couldn't rustle up enough spare change to make it work. So, we had a "stay"cation here in town.  

 

You see, I would like to give my family the moon on a silver platter every day if I could, but sometimes we have to just be content with being a happy family without big plans.  I tell the boys all the time that families of six don't always get to take big trips.  As much as I would love to hop in the car or a plane and go to fabulous destinations, we just don't have the funds at the end of the month.

 

 

So, I am bound and determined to have the boys enjoy time with one another here at home and around town.  We have had a great time.  I want to instill in them contentment to just be themselves while loving their God, family, and friends.  If that's how we live everyday, then everything else will fall into place!

 

Today, was one of those days.  We had planned to just go with the flow and venture down toward Murfreesboro around lunchtime.  We were looking for a birthday present that was not muy dinero, but would have some staying power.  So, we decided to expand our family by one for the Straight Hair.  We are now the proud owners of Jake, the Betta Fish.  He's a pretty awesome little guy...just what we need...low maintenance and a guaranteed long life (PetSmart will take him back if he doesn't live 3 months).  Perfect!  The Wild Hair has already proclaimed, "I love Jason the fish!"  Clearly, he did not get the memo that the fish's name is Jake.  But, oh well!! 

 

So, the last day in year five for the Straight Hair was a good one.  That's enough for me.  I think when I lay my head down on the pillow tonight, I can rest easy knowing we all lived above the line today.  Not half bad for a family of nine (two parents, 4 wild boys, 2 old, cozy dogs and one bright, new fish), not bad at all!

All for the Hall

Last night, my mom and I went to Keith Urban's production, All for the Hall.  It had been a crazy day around my house.  I managed to get all the kids bathed and ready for dinner.  The Committee came home to watch the rowdy boys.  I hightailed it out the door, and met Mom up at Kroger to head down to Bridgestone Arena.  I really had no idea what to expect.  Wow!!  I was very pleasantly surprised.

Keith Urban put on a show that would raise funds for the Counrty Music Hall of Fame.  He invited all sorts of folks to play on stage with Vince Gill and himself.  We saw Allison Krauss, Billy Currington, John Mayer, Martina McBride, Miranda Lambert, Charlie Pride, Alan Jackson, and the ever-entertaining Dolly Parton.  It was a great, fun night filled with tons of people watching! 

One line from Allison Krauss's song caught my ear.  I could listen to her sing all day.  Her voice is always so clear and refreshing.  She sang...

I Know Who Holds Tomorrow

I don't know about tomorrow;
I just live from day to day.I don't borrow from its sunshine
For its skies may turn to grey.

I don't worry o'er the future,
For I know what Jesus said.And today I'll walk beside Him,For He knows what is ahead.

Many things about tomorrow
I don't seem to understandBut I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand.

Every step is getting brighter
As the golden stairs I climb;
Every burden's getting lighter,
Every cloud is silver-lined.

There the sun is always shining,
There no tear will dim the eye;
At the ending of the rainbow
Where the mountains touch the sky.

I don't know about tomorrow;
It may bring me poverty.
But the one who feeds the sparrow,
Is the one who stands by me.

And the path that is my portion
May be through the flame or flood;
But His presence goes before me
And I'm covered with His blood. 

None of us really knows about the tomorrows of our life.  None of us can predict the valleys we will travel through on our way to the next peak.  I need to remind myself daily as I get out of my bed and put my feet on the floor ~ Many things about tomorrow...I don't seem to understand...But I know who holds tomorrow...And I know who holds my hand.

It sounds hard.  It will probably take a great amount of trust to let things go...letting the worry flow off my shoulders and trust that my future is laid out for me.  I don't have the time to worry.  I'm only given this one life, and I'm going to do all I can to enjoy it.  When I lay down my head at night, I want to be able to think I had a full day filled with love and joy and no regrets!

To laugh often and much;

To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;

To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;

To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;

To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

This is to have succeeded.

--- inaccurately attributed to
 Ralph Waldo Emerson

Why Blog?

"I did not do this to change your mind about anything;

I did this to ease my own mind about everything."

Todd Snider, Memphis musician

I decided to start blogging about the life of my family and daily exchanges not for you, but for me.  You see, we live out in the rural sticks.  I have four rambunctious boys.  My husband works long hours.  I love my friends, but don't see them nearly enough.  I see my mother almost daily, and she is one of my best friends.  I can bounce ideas off of her, if need be.  But, I needed to live outside of my head and clearly lay out my life each day in journal form.  This blog serves that purpose.

It is very cheap therapy for me.  Free in fact.  I can write about issues that run through my head or explore random thoughts that struck me during the day.  I can explore how I feel about one thing or another and try to let the idea begin and end all in one blog post.  All the while, I can create a running diary for my family. 

I'm not sure how long I'll keep going.  I hit some dry patches of thought here and there.  Some days, I just need to be still, stop thinking, and just pray.  So, that's what I do. 

I'm not sure if sharing my deep thoughts is the right thing to do for you.  I'm not sure that you really even care about these fleeting thoughts.  I'm not really trying to change your mind on anything at all.  I'm just trying to rectify my life's adventures and ease my mind about everything. 

That's how I got here.  I love it for now.  I have found The Committee seems to like knowing what is going through this hyper-active head of mine too.  So, it works for us.  Hope it works for you too. As always, thanks for stopping by and being a part of our life! 

P.S.  I thoroughly recommend blogging to anyone.  It feels hard at first, but after a while it is a nice place to relax, sit back, and take a look at the world around us.  If you ever want to give it a try, please send me a blog for The Middle Place.  We can post it any Wednesday and see what feedback you might get!!  Just send it to my e-mail...mocurlee@yahoo.com  Come on...jump right in!

The Snuggliest Baby in Town

Daddy's at work, my brothers are gone for the day, and just my mommy and me are left...

let the snuggling begin!

The Tiniest Hair is just the snuggliest baby you have ever seen.  He loves nothing more than to sink low beneath the covers and cuddle all day.  When he is very happy, you will hear this gurgle sound come from deep inside of him.  He almost sounds like a cat mewing.  It is one of the sweetest sounds to my ears. 

Gotta run...we are losing snuggle time as I type!

The Reluctant Entertainer

So, I've been reading this new book, The Reluctant Entertainer ~ Every Woman's Guide to Simple and Gracious Hospitality.  When we lived in Memphis, I never really was one for having people over to our house.  It seemed too hard.  I was happier to get out and go somewhere else to meet up with friends. 

But, since moving to middle Tennessee, I have really enjoyed having people over to our home.  I guess having four kids has definitely put a squeeze on our wallet and there doesn't seem to be any cash left over at the end of each month to pay for a sitter.  So, we swing open the doors, tell friends to bring their whole family so they won't have to pay a sitter either, dish out duties to one another, and enjoy one another's company.

It is so healthy for the soul of our family.  My kids love it!  I love it!  The Committee is growing to love it...he's somewhat reticent by nature!  The Wild Hair will ask about when we are having another yard party.  One-of-a-Kind loves to show people around our house...even my bathroom!  The Straight Hair plans the entertainment...usually fireworks or something involving fire.

I'm not sure why I have changed my ways, but I have noticed how much happier it makes me.  Growing up, there were always people (young and old) coming in and out of our doors.  My parents both liked to have people over for a cocktail or dinner.  It was always a time of happiness for all of us.

So what’s the big deal about inviting people into our homes? Why does it even matter?

This is what I think...We were put on this Earth to connect with one another.  Our souls ache to unite with another's.  The focus is not on a perfectly set table or a meal that resembles something from a chic L.A. hot spot, but the wonderful individuals that have gathered around our home.  For some, it’s a new way of thinking. To me, I love experiencing the joy that comes from melding our lives with others.  To find this connection over a lazy evening in my backyard, is true contentment for me.

"Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have."

--Unknown

Our Little Toes

As I sank down in the couch the other night, I was running through our day's day for The Committee.  I do  this most nights to let him know what happened in the life of our family while he was away at work.  I think I also do it so that I feel validated, and hope he won't assume I was eating bon-bons all day.  Oh, I wish!

Anyway, I was telling him one tale after another.  I filled him in on my tasks at hand, etc., etc.  He quickly stopped me and told me that did not amount to what he did. 

He said, "I snipped nails on 80 digits today. How many people can say that?" 

You see, clipping nails is a boy job in our house.  We have always divided tasks into boy jobs vs. girl jobs.  For example, taking the trash out is a boy job.  Cooking dinner would most definitely be a girl job. 

Each week, he clips all the nails of the boys.  They are used to it...no one really runs away with the wild banshee scream...so we call that a success in our house.  We both laughed, then it made me think of the things other families miss out on when they stop at one or two children.

80 digits that need to be clipped...constant play dates that never end...going shopping for new clothes means going to a brother's closet...toys that span the generations...the list goes on and on...share some of yours if you'd like.

What have you done today? 

Each day, awakening, are we asked to paint the sky blue? Need we coax the sun to rise or flowers to bloom? Need we teach birds to sing, or children to laugh, or lovers to kiss? No, though we think the world imperfect, it surrounds us each day with its perfections. We are asked only to appreciate them, and to show appreciation by living in peaceful harmony amidst them. The Creator does not ask that we create a perfect world; He asks that we celebrate it.  ~Robert Brault