My Personal Manifesto

My Personal Manifesto

2/3/19

I am a Daughter of the Creator of the universe who sacrificed Himself to secure my adoption.

I conduct myself with Integrity & Character.

I follow through with my Commitments.

After my relationship with Christ, my husband is my priority followed by my children.

I value Honesty and Understanding.

I make Plans to ensure success but am Flexible to life's ebbs & flows.

I do not demonize my Emotions;  nor do I honor them as truth.

Life is full of Blessings and I choose to focus on the positive and not the negative.

I fill my mind and body with things that Nourish and not deplete.

I treat all people with Dignity & Respect.

I hold no grudges, forgiving freely and loving lavishly.

I am a Light in this world;  

I am a Garden bearing good fruit 

and I am a Citizen of heaven.

Books I read in 2018

Books I've read in 2018

• 01) "The Secret Garden" by Frances Hodgson Burnett 1/2
• 02) "Firefight" by Brandon Sanderson (audio) 1/6
• 03) "Calamity" by Brandon Sanderson (audio) 1/21
• 04) "A Door In the Wall" by Marguerite de Angeli 1/30
• 05) "Free of Me" by Sharon Hodde Miller 2/22
• 06) "Will Save Galaxy for Food" by Yahtzee Croshaw (audio) 3/8
• 07) "Snapshot" by Brandon Sanderson (audio) 3/9
• 08) "Crispin: Cross of Lead" by Avi 3/18
• 09) "Sweetbriar Cottage" by Denise Hunter 3/19
• 10) "Anabel Lee" by Mike Nappa 3/20
• 11) "Cry in the Night" by Colleen Coble 3/28
• 12) "The Testing" by Joelle Charbonneau 3/29
• 13) "Independent Study" by Joelle Charbonneau 3/31
• 14) "Graduation Day" by Joelle Charbonneau (audio) 4/1
• 15) 'The Lost Husband' by Katherine Center 4/2
• 16) "Love & Respect in the Family" by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs 4/4
• 17) "Where We Belong" by Lynn Austin 4/8
• 18) "The Bronze Bow" by Elizabeth George Speare 4/12
• 19) "The View from Rainshadow Bay" by Colleen Coble (audio) 4/17
• 20) 'The Raven' by Mike Nappa 4/21
• 21) 'Love, Dishonor, Marry, Die, Cherish, Perish: A Novel by David Rakoff 4/22
• 22) "Love's Pursuit" by Siri Mitchell 4/25
• 23) "Promises to Keep" by Ann Tatlock (audio) 5/3
• 24) "A Murder, A Mystery, and a Marriage" by Mark Twain 5/9
• 25) "Differently Morphous" by Yahtzee Croshaw (audio) 5/24
• 26) 'A Study In Scarlet Women' by Sherry Thomas (audio) 6/16
• 27) "The 49th Mystic" by Ted Dekker 6/27
• 28) "Ascend Online" by Luke Chmilenko (audio) 6/28
• 29) "Out of Spite, Out of Mind" by Scott Meyer (audio) 7/2
• 30) "Because You're Mine" by Colleen Coble 7/12
• 31) "Kill the Farm Boy" by Kevin Hearne & Delilah S. Dawson (audio) 8/8
• 32) "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norton Juster 8/12
• 33) "Girl, Wash Your Face" by Rachel Hollis 9/20
• 34) "The Introvert's Edge: How the Quiet and Shy Can Outsell Anyone" by Matthew Pollard (audio) 11/3
• 35) "Rise of the Mystics" by Ted Dekker (audio) 11/7
• 36) "Talking As Fast As I Can" by Lauren Graham (audio) 11/8
• 37) "Beyond Belief: My Secret Life inside Scientology and my Harrowing Escape" by Jenna Miscavige Hill with Lisa Pulitzer (audio) 11/14
• 38) "Warcross' by Marie Lu (audio) 12/28

Cute things my kids have said: Part 15

Another round of things my kids have said...


10-24-17 We had a bit of an incident after CC today. Kira was unloading the vehicle and decided to mess around in the driver's seat. Accidentally put it in gear and it rolled down our driveway and crashed into the house across the road! Luckily no one was hurt and the only damage was to the neighbors' downspout. 

11-06-17  Stopped in to Cappuccino & Co just before closing to grab myself a gf lemon bar. I told my kids that I got to be their very last customer of the day. Kira excitedly speaks up, "You're their 'best for last'!"

11-09-17  Jasmine's new nutcracker doll has the "cracking" part on the doll's chest rather than its mouth. Russ said, "It's like the window to her soul." Jasmine said, "I thought the soul was next to the kidneys?"

11-19-17  While decorating the tree Kira put up a cross ornament and said, "I'm putting this up for Grandpa Jim" (who she never met because he died when I was pregnant with her). This morning she moved the cross ornament over to the piano next to the nativity and said "It can be over here too because there are lots of sad things over here."

11-22-17  Jasmine: "If I were to adopt a baby, I'd adopt a black baby because they're so cute." Kira: "You mean a brown baby? Their skin is brown, not black." Jasmine: "Yeah. They just call them black for some reason."

12-08-17  Parenting is always full of surprises.  I went to change Bria's poopy diaper and when I opened it up...there was a matchbox car in there!  Apparently  Kira stuck the car in there AFTER Bria had pooped!

12-10-17  Overheard: Kira: "Jasmine, come be the toilet because I want to be the sink!"

1-1-18  Kira says to me (in a whiny begging voice), "When am I going to get to see Evelyn again? She probably really misses me. She loves me soooo much!" 

1-24-18   Jasmine told me she wants to go to Egypt for her honeymoon. "Although it's probably not very romantic."

1-24-18  I was telling Kira that I wasn't letting her go into a store with Eden because I can't always trust her to be good because she often throws fits when she doesn't get what she wants. She answered back with, "Yeah I can't handle it very well."

2-7-18   Was looking at some senior pictures on Facebook when Kira comes and asks me who it is.
I said, "That's my cousin's son, Jacob."
K: "But what's their name?"
Me: "My cousin's name is Mandie."
K: "Yeah...but what's the honey's name? 
Me: "huh?"
K: "uh. I don't know how to explain it."
Me: "You mean her husband?"
K: "Yeah!"
Me: "Her honey's name is Mark." 

2-14-18  Most of us were hanging out in Russ & my bedroom when Acacia walked in and I got all excited and exclaimed, "Acacia! We missed you so much!" Kira (deadpan): "I didn't. I didn't care."

3-16-18  Kira: “Ugh! STUPID SNOWMAN!! He doesn’t want to be built!”

3-16-18  Kira: “Daddy, will you come build a snowman with me? They keep being better at building a snowman than me!”

3-24-18  Bria has discovered and has begun taking full advantage of the word, “why?”

4-9-18 Kira: “I want to go to the Tumbled Tangleweed” (Instead of Tangled Tumbleweed)

4-14-18  Jasmine: “Steve Jobs was really good at jobs; especially Steve jobs.” *giggle*

4-15-18  Kira: “Jesus died for our sins.” Me: “Did you learn that in church today?” Kira: “Actually I’ve heard that lots of times at church. *pause* Why would He do that?”

5-13-18  We joke around about how each of our kids has their own "catchphrases". Today when we were talking about it again, Acacia says, "Mom-I know what yours is. It's "I love you!"" 

6-7-18  Kira has been super freaked out by thunderstorms the last two weeks, tonight she was praying, “Please don’t let hail hit anyone. Don’t let the hail hit the Seay’s or Miss Amber.”  

6-18-18  Jasmine's artwork:

7-1-18  I told Bria, "I think you need to take a nap." She said, "No. I'm better now."

7-6-18    Jasmine: (While watching a video of me when I was 11) "You look the same except your face is smoother."

7-13-18  I told Eden that I wasn't feeling well and she turns to me and says, "You're fine. Just pray it off."

7-16-18   Acacia is taking a liquid oral antibiotic, “It tastes like money smells.”

7-23-18   I asked Jasmine, “So, what kind of sandwich did you make Daddy?” Jasmine: “I didn’t make Daddy a sandwich.” Me: “ You didn’t?” Jasmine: “I made a sandwich FOR him.”

7-24-18  Riding in the car Kira asked me to turn on music so I turned up the radio, “Ugh! Not love music. I want Rock & Roll!”

8-19-18  Kira: “If Bria & I were twins, how old would we be?”

9-3-18  While observing Kira & a friend playing—
Mason: “I am 5 too! Almost 13!”
Kira: “My sister is 13! She’s in 8th grade; almost in college!”

10-25-18  Opened a bottle for Jasmine and took a sip.
J: “hey! You always take a drink when you open something for us!”
Me: “Mommy tax.”
J: “I hate the mommy tax.”

10-20-18  Overheard Kira yelling at Acacia: “You can’t tell me what to do! It’s not like you pushed me out of your tummy!”

11-5-18  Kira: “I would not marry or be a girlfriend of someone that smokes.”

11-11-18  Bria’s new favorite expression is “Yeah....Maybe.” 







:/

Books I read in 2017

Books I've read in 2017

• 01) "Before I Wake" by Dee Henderson 2/26
• 02) "Off to Be the Wizard" by Scott Meyer (audio) 3/6
• 03) "Spell or High Water" by Scott Meyer (audio) 3/16
• 04) "Legend" by Marie Lu (audio) 3/24
• 05) 'Prodigy' by Marie Lu (audio) 3/30
• 06) 'The Mysterious Benedict Society' by Trenton Lee Stewart 4/3
• 07) 'Champion' by Marie Lu (audio) 4/10
• 08) 'An Unwelcome Quest' by Scott Meyer (audio) 4/16
• 09) 'Wonderland Creek' by Lynn Austin (audio) 5/20
• 10) 'The Naked Gospel' by Andrew Farley 6/1
• 11) "Fight and Flight' by Scott Meyer (audio) 6/7
• 12) "The Introvert's Way: Living a Quiet Life in a Noisy World" by Sophia Dembling 6/13
• 13) 'We are Legion (We are Bob)' by Dennis E. Taylor (audio) 7/10
• 14) 'The Authorities' by Scott Meyer (audio) 7/15
• 15) 'Caught in the Middle' by Regina Jennings 7/18
• 16) 'Unspoken' by Dee Henderson 7/31
• 17) 'The Blackthorn Key' by Kevin Sands (audio) 8/6
• 18) 'Undetected' by Dee Henderson 8/24
• 19) 'Kidnapped' by Dee Henderson 9/4
• 20) "Run Program" by Scott Meyer (audio) 10/7
• 21) 'The Magician's Nephew' by C.S. Lewis (audio) 10/9
• 22) 'Carry On, Mr. Bowditch' by Jean Lee Latham 10/18
• 23) 'Number the Stars' by Lois Lowry (audio) 11/6
• 24) 'Pirate Latitudes' by Michael Crichton 11/29
• 25) 'Amos Fortune, Free man' by Elizabeth Yates (audio) 12/12
• 26) "Master of Formalities" by Scott Meyer (audio) 12/17
• 27) "Steelheart" by Brandon Sanderson (audio) 12/28

Cute things my kids have said: Part 14

More cute things from my cute kids.  (March-Oct 2017) 

3-27-17  Kira: "He is mad!" Me: "Why?" Kira: "A robber stole his money. The robber likes shiny money and his money was really, really, really, really, really, really, really shiny!" 

  

 

3-30-17  Eden: "It's not my fault I was sick." Jasmine: "Well, It kind of is. You must have touched some germs." 

3-31-17  Bria is going through a developmental explosion right now! In the last week she has grown in 2 more teeth, learned how to play peek a boo, started nodding 'yes', is blowing kisses, clapping, has been mimicking the sounds we make, jabbering & singing to herself and others...it has been so fun to watch. She's an entertainer for sure! She also loves to hit herself in the head to make us laugh. (And today she blew on her food before letting me put it in her mouth.) 

4-02-17  Kira: "I want to watch Turkey Stuffins." (Doc McStuffins) 

4-06-17  Me: "Kira, please pick up your stuff in the living room."  

Kira: "Uuhh, can't a robot do it?"  

4-10-17  As I was making myself a hamburger patty-- Acacia: "Are you making a sausage pancake?" 

4-10-17  I've been trying to teach Bria the signs for 'please', 'more' and 'thank you'. Today she was sitting on Russ' lap and clearly wanted a piece of Kira's cookie. I said, "Can you say please?" Bria practically jumped off his lap onto mine and started signing 'please' on MY chest! We were laughing so hard! 

4-17-17  Jasmine: "I'm in a fight with the wall. It doesn't think I come from good stock." 

4-23-17  On the way home from Sunday School, Kira was telling me the story they learned which happened to be the story of Adam & Eve. When she got done I asked her, "Why did God tell them not to eat from that tree?" Kira: "I don't know but I think it was because there was a snake on it." 

 5-14-17  Kira: "Those flat pickles make my mouth spice to death."  

 5-20-17  Acacia: "That sign said Limon; like lemon and lime!" 

5-20-17  Jasmine: "What if a guy's last name was Juice and his first name was Tongue? Tongue Juice! *giggle* We could call him Spit!" 

5-20-17  Watching Monsters University-- Jasmine: "Monsters get scared?" Me: "Yes. That's why they scare people; to compensate for their own crippling fear." Jasmine: "Oh, yeah. I knew that." 

5-26-17  Jasmine: "Instead of flowers for my recital...I want you to bring me Shopkins." 

 5-27-17  Eden after recital: "Pretty much if we are wearing half-soles, they cry." 

6-13-17  My poor Jasmine got my propensity for worry. Today she said, "I'm worried about you getting a bad infection and then getting sick and needing surgery and dying and then I'd have to go to regular school." 

6-18-17  I was sitting on the couch after mowing the lawn when Kira comes and gives me a hug. Then she asks, "Do you have the chicken pox? Because it smells like you do." 

6-21-17  Bria's first understandable & repeated sentence! "I did it" 

6-27-17  Kira (while making a sandwich): "Now for the finishing touch! *opens the fridge* Where are you, finishing touch?" 

7-01-17  Kira: "Mommy, can I sleep on your floor?"  

Me: "No."  Kira: "I don't want to sleep with Acacia. She stinks and I will smell her!"   

8-20-17  Kira: "I want you to keep this (the front door) closed when the moon covers the sun. It will be like nighttime but I don't want to see it." 

8-21-17 Eden (In her best tongue in cheek conspiracy theory voice): "What if NASA created the solar eclipse to make money for all the eye doctors?" 

8-22-17  Jasmine: "That's the good thing about photographing nature. You don't have tell it to cooperate." 

9-11-17  Kira:  "Mommy, your boobies smell like chicken strips!" 

9-11-17  Came out of violin to the stink of the town and were discussing what it was. Kira: "I think it's kangaroo poop." 

9-?-17  I asked Kira what her favorite song was.  "I don't know.  It's between "Let it Go" and "Let it Go" in Spanish."

9-21-17 Kira: "Jasmine, do these aspertames make you have energy?" Jasmine: "They are Altoids." 

9-30-17 Jasmine: "Elvis looks like he'd be a bad kisser." 

10-01-17  Acacia reading a laffy taffy joke, "Where did the dentist go on vacation?" Kira: "West Virginia!" 

10-01-17 Kira:(while leaving church) "Apparently no one said I was beautiful." 

10-04-17 Kira: "Mommy, I want to be like you when I grow up. I don't want to get in a car crash. You almost got in a car crash once. But you're good at not getting in a car crash so I want to be like you when I grow up." 

10-05-17 Kira: "I'm thirsty all the way up to God and back down to the grass!"