Self Reflection

I usually use this space to share stories and events about my family, but I feel led to post something personal. Sometimes I read other peoples blogs or facebook pages and start feeling less than a successful person. I think we all fall into a trap of posting the best or funniest moments from our lives and we often hide the struggles we face day to day. I'm not saying we need to air our dirty laundry online or even be 'debbie downers', but I wanted everyone to know that I struggle.



I was raised in an amazing Christian home and I would not trade it for anything. I came to know Christ as a child and have seen the Spirit move and direct my life and that of my family. As an adult, I have attended a wide variety of churches from those that do admit to supressing the work of the Holy Spirit to those that seem to go into a state of chaos. I have felt comfortable in neither. I love my church now, but still struggle with the inner question of who is the Holy Spirit and what is His role in my life? I know that the Spirit lives in me, but sometimes I don't see His fruit. (Love, Joy, Peace, Patience (Ok, this is the big one) Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness, Faith and Self-Control) If He abides in me, then shouldn't these gifts be the outward evidence to those around me?



Friday morning my friend and youth pastor, Clark, gave me a book entitled "Forgotten God, Reversing our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit" by Francis Chan. It is written by a man who grew up baptist. He has no religious affiliation and does not seem to want to promote 'his side,' just find the truth from the Bible. I am 50 pages into the book and highly suggest it. I am seeking the truth. If you have ever looked at "those Pentecostals" and wondered why they act that way or judged the "non spirit-filled" and look at them as less than you, I would suggest this book. It simply searches for the truth of who the Holy Spirit is and what his role in our lives should be on a daily basis. Please join me on this journey. My only motive is to become more like Christ.

I will never understand my son, Tyler. As my father says, "his brain works differently." To know Tyler is to love him and be exasperated by him. My friend at work, Donna, says were in for fun in the future.

Ethan was sick over the weekend so I put an empty, plastic trashcan in his room for emergencies. Emergencies of course means throwing up. I thought everyone knew this. Sunday night, Chris and I walked into the boys' room to find the trash can in the middle of the room with urine in it. Tyler then explained that he had to pee and it provided convenience. We do live in a house with three toilets and four people so I suppose it could be justified, but seriously? Needless to say, I lost my temper and had to apologize later. I need to learn to laugh more about Tyler and not take everything so seriously with him. He did scrub the trashcan out with Lysol. I can't wait to see what's next...

Valentine's Day

On Friday night we joined the crowds at the local theater to see Percy Jackson and the Olympians. I read the books a few months ago and have been waiting to take my kids. It was fantastic! My boys loved it and I'm considering reading the books to them. I ran into several students and other teachers there and we briefly discussed the movie. It is a little scary, but knowing Tyler, nothing scares him.

Saturday morning Ethan woke up with a sore throat. A few hours later, his temperature was at 102.5. I tried to take him to the clinic, but it had closed already. I doped him up on Tylenol and sent him to bed. Chris took him on Sunday morning and we found out he had strep throat. Poor kid!

As far as Valentine gifts, Tyler chose a Wonder Woman Bear for me and Ethan picked out Choxie Chocolates from Target. They are my favorite! Chris got me a pair of earrings. The funniest part was that Chris and I picked out the exact same card for each other at totally different stores. Do we know each other, or what? It was the least sentimental card with a simple "I Love You!" Chris got the Direct TV March Madness package so he can watch all the games at one time. What was I thinking?

We spent the weekend relaxing since Ethan was sick. It was a nice weekend at home. Hopefully next weekend everyone will be well and we can actually have an exciting post with exciting pictures.

I do have to share one exciting thing because I am living vicariously through my sister. My brother and his wife went to Nashville to visit my sister and they went to see the Black Eyed Peas. Wild Bill, my sister's boyfriend, got them backstage passes. So jealous! I think Bon Jovi is coming to Nashville soon. What do you say, Bill? Love you guys!

Snowed In
(I love the South)

School was released in a panic on Friday. Snow was on the way. We had to get home before it started. I looked outside my classroom window and sure enough, it was sunny and there were birds. You gotta love the south. By the time I left Walker Valley and picked up my two kids the flakes began to fall. By the early evening there was a beautiful covering. I braved the crowds at the RedBox and we settled in front of the fire for movie night.

The ice came on Friday night and Saturday morning. I admit that it was bad, but by Saturday afternoon it seemed fine to a northerner like myself. We did brave church on Sunday, but we were among the few. Several churches in town cancelled. Chris reminded me that there is no salt on the roads here and the people are not prepared to sprinkle salt for themselves on the sidewalks or parking lots.

The best part of the weekend came on Sunday evening when I received a phone call telling me that school would be cancelled on Monday. I love my job! The boys and I spent a relaxing day at home with an afternoon outing for haircuts. (By the way, they cut Tyler's hair completely off. I am a bit sad. Pictures will follow when I can bear to take them.)

Several Jane Austen movies later, I believe that I am ready to return to school. I have 4 day weeks for the next three weeks. Did I mention that I love my job?

Wild Bill and the Boys

My boys had so much fun with Wild Bill this weekend that it warranted its own post. Bill took the boys to Opry Mills and to see a movie and then let them bungy jump. I'm always to cheap to pay for those things, but the boys had a blast. Ethan turned flip after flip and Tyler's face was pure joy the entire time. He did get a little frustrated because he was not heavy enough to pull himself all the way down.

One of the highlights of the trip was Bill's pet Lynx. Bill owns a siberian lynx and keeps it in his house. Fortunatly for me, it was shut in the back stairwell all weekend except when he took him out to play with the boys. The boys took turns petting 'kitty' and then Tyler wanted to hold him. He is fearless. Of course, Ethan had to hold him after that as well.

Both boys took a spin with Bill on his motorcycle. Bill took me for a ride and it was awesome and crazy! Bill builds bikes and rides seriously. He would spin and slide the tires out. I was scared but strangely felt very safe.

Wild Birthday WeekendBill's house and restaurant

We went to Nashville for the weekend to celebrate my birthday with my sister Jessica and her friend Bill. Bill was gracious enough to open up his house to us, kids included. Bill lives in the oldest building in Nashville. It is awesome. It was part of the underground railroad. Bill owns the restaurant downstairs called Wild Bills Binets and Bikes. It was great waking up every morning to fresh coffee and banana binets. The kids loved going downstairs to the restaurant and 'helping' which mainly involved eating french fries.

The view from our bedroom window

Bill took us out on the town on his rickshaw. It was a little chilly but so much fun! For my birthday, Jessica and Bill took me and the family to the Predator's hockey game. We had great seats and they had my birthday put on the jumbo tron. Bill took the kids down to the Zamboni entrance down by the ice during the game. After the game, we went to The Palm for dinner. It was delicious. It was an amazing evening and a great weekend.
The Caldwell's on the rickshaw

Ethan and Jessica at the game

A Sick, New Year

We spent New Years with Chris' family in South Carolina. The day after we arrived, New Year's Eve, Chris' dad, Leonard, came down with a stomach virus. He spent most of the day in bed. We entertained ourselves while Chris' mom, Janice, ran the shop. That night, Chris' sister, Valen, invited us over to ring in the New Year. Thank you Valen for getting us out of the house. I felt so bad that Chris' dad was sick. We left on Saturday morning to drive home. Saturday evening after all the bags were unloaded and laundry was done, Ethan threw up. He was up all night and thanks to my awesome husband, I did not have to clean up and vomit. I can't handle it! We stayed home from church on Sunday so Ethan could recoup.

I started school on Monday and the week progressed. I woke up Thursday morning with an ailing stomach. Fortunately, we were sent home early that afternoon for snow and I spent Thursday and all day Friday in bed with a stomach virus. I hate being sick! By Saturday I was much better and up cleaning the house.

I decided to invite my brother and his family over Saturday night since we hadn't seen them since before Christmas. We were enjoying fellowship and pizza when I heard the kids yell from downstairs, "Tyler threw up!" Needless to say, we were up all night with Tyler and he spent Sunday at home with a very high fever. My husband, the super hero, stayed home with him on Monday so he could recover fully. I think we are all well now and I am praying Chris does not get sick. We have plans to go to Nashville this weekend and it would be miserable if we had to cancel.

My New Year's Resolution is to be healthy this year. Yeah right...

Rock City Lights

We went with our friends, the Mann's, to Rock City to see the lights. We started the evening at one of our favorite restaurants, Tony's. It was delicious. We then drove up Lookout Mountain to Rock City. I had spent the afternoon laying out all of the winter clothes so we would be warm at the top of the mountain. I told the boys to grab their coats as we were leaving and I did not realize until we reached Rock City that they left their coats at home. I felt like the worst mom ever! Fortunatly, Janna had some extra scarves and it was a warm evening.



We had a great time! We stopped half way and the boys had the chance to decorate gingerbread men. The lights were beautiful. This may be the start of a new holiday tradition.

Winter Wonderland

Chris wanted to go to Ohio for the snow. He was lucky because the day after we arrived it snowed five inches at my parents house. My sister, Jessica, and Wild Bill went skiing all night. Chris and I chickened out. The boys spent the morning in the hot tub with my parents. We then bundled up and went for a walk in the woods. Ethan found a coyote den in the woods. The boys took turns trying to climb Papa's tree stand. Tyler would randomly fall on the ground and say, "I don't think I can make it!" It was beautiful!

Christmas Day

The boys woke up at 5:45 am on Christmas morning. They went downstairs and separated the presents into stacks for each person. I wonder where they get the need to organize... The boys got portable gifts (Didj, PSP) so we left right after presents and drove to Ohio to see my parents. It was raining when we got there. It was great to be able to spend time with my parents, my sister, and Wild Bill.
My dad showing the boys his recent deer. The heads had not been mounted yet so we could see all the disgusting insides...Gross!

My mom with the boys