the masters '08

well folks, it is that time of year again. the azaleas are in full bloom, the birds are chirping, and augusta is hopping. yes, dear friends, the masters is in full swing. and the tingle eyes are, as usual, on tiger and adam. tiger being terry's fav and adam being mine - and a lot of people say that adam's swing most closely resembles tiger's than anyone else on the tour, so it is fitting that we have chosen two great players as our favorites. i know many think, my husband included, that my only admiration for adam is his good looks, and while yes he is quite easy on the eyes, there are more reasons. i have watched adam scott since he was just a young aussie (my mother can vouch for me) making his way in america. i do not and will not claim to know a lot about golf, but something made me want to watch him. and i did. and i have. and i will today, tomorrow, and on into the weekend. so, if you are a good southerner, just breeze by cbs in the next fews days to catch a little glimpse of beauty. it's the masters and it is amazing. take it all in...the green grass, the hushes followed by the cheers, the soft wonderful music that takes you to and from commercials, the green jacket, the stories, the history, and the awe.

and dad, have a few sandwiches for me...

oops

some days you just want to runaway. today i wanted to sprint, dig a hole, bury myself, and hide...for a very long time. long story short. i pay the bills. while writing the check for the mortgage bill i made a small mistake. i started over with a new check, put it in the envelope, sealed it. saw old check, thought i had forgotten to put in envelope, re-open envelope, insert old check in with new check, re-seal it and off the bill goes. today, this morning, check our account (normal morning routine) and i see RED. RED is not good people. it hit me like a ton of bricks. genuis (that's me) put the old check that was supposed to be thrown away in with the new check and the mortgage people thought mrs. tingle was being a super bill-payer and paying two months worth of mortgage instead she is a big ole idiot who now has no money and is freaking out to her husband on the phone and he has no idea what she is saying because wife is HYSTERICAL and crying and talking in a high pitch voice only henry dog can understand (my dad at this point it totally feeling terry's pain). terry and i spend the next two hours of our life trying to stop the bleeding, put out the fire, and basically kissing everyone's butt we talk to on the phone, just begging for some sympathy. we survived, i guess. we are overcoming - that's a better way of looking at it. let me just say that my husband was amazing. he was so kind when he could have been angry. he was so encouraging when he had every right to be disappointed. he was so terry...that's why i love him.

just some pics...

addi-bug and her big daddy.being silly with mommy.
teething. my finger hurts.daddy and his little girl.

when one door opens...

...another one closes. addison loves to open and close doors. open. close. open. close. each time she opens one it is like looking at what is beyond for the very first time...every time. i am sure most people know but two of my most favorite people are moving. to tulsa. yes, as in oklahoma. i won't talk much about it because i can't. it hurts my heart. seriously. even sitting here typing my heart aches. the kind of ache that overwhelms you. but this is not about my aching heart. it is about their bravery. i often describe brooke and josh as modern-day gypsies. they love to day-dream about their life and play "what if" all the time. what if we lived in ireland? what if we sailed the world? what if we moved to tulsa? see. all the time. it is what i love about them. they love to open doors. they are not afraid of a new place, a few obstacles, or even a couple bumpy roads along the way. they travel through this life willing to experience all that god has for them.

i pray many things for my addison. my prayer of late is that she would be brave like her aunt brooksie and uncle josh. that she would never tire of opening doors and discovering what is behind them. that she would be wise about which doors to open and which to leave alone...about which bumpy roads are worth the rough ride...and trusting in the end that god has something amazing to teach her no matter what door she chooses to pass. more than anything, i pray my addison knows that when she walks out our door to discover the world, it will never close. the door to home is always open.

the same goes for brooke and josh...even though you leave this town, this place - this door, our door will never close.

(i am stopping now because i have opened the door to endless tears and the damn thing won't shut).

getting bigger...

happy 10 month birthday, addi-bug! you are just a couple months shy of the big ONE YEAR! today you woke up with a fever due to 4 teeth coming in all at once. i think it was just a scam to keep us home though. a few things we have learned about you this month...

• you are a tough little girl. you got your finger pricked and did not cry. you had a horrible ear infection but you did not lose sleep or get fussy. you bang your head on every wall, every corner, every person, and ever table you come across...and almost always without a blink.
• you love to be chased. you have a giggle fit when mommy or daddy try to run after you. your army crawl is getting faster and faster but slows down when you get your giggle box going. and man it is a cute little laugh.
• you love table food. today you had some macaroni and was upset when we were all done. you also love corn, sweet peas, and chicken.
• you moved up to ms. cathy's class this week! the first milestone in daycare world has been reached. you love being in infant-b room with baylor and emma and all the new big girl toys.
• you still love your sleep but this week you have loved exploring your crib. it takes a little bit longer to find rest for the night but it's ok because you tucker out easily.
• while exploring your crib you have learned to pull up so daddy had to lower you down last night. now we can rest knowing you aren't going to leap up and over. but i have a feeling if you want out, you will find a way.
• you can wear a bow in your hair! finally! mommy was so excited she went and bought 8 bows! and you don't mind them in your hair at all which is ever better.

we love you, addi-bug! keep on growing!

facing your "elmos"

there are so many in my life that seem to be "longing" right now. longing for someone to be healed, longing for a broken heart to be restored, longing for arms to be filled, longing for new hope and new direction, longing for prayers to be answered, longing for homes to be sold, longing to be free of stress, and just longing to be. to be here or there. to be this or be that. including me. though my longing is quite trivial compared to many others, it is still a longing...and a fear. a fear of never selling this home. a fear of never getting the time back we waste on the interstate. a fear of not having my sister close by. a fear of failing as a mother, a wife and a christian.

addison has a fear too. she fears elmo. facing him is often quite traumatic for her. i cannot put him in front of her right away. she must approach elmo herself and warm up to him. it takes time. but don't all longings and fears take time? i think so...but it is the waiting that hurts so much. the waiting brings the anticipation and the anticipation brings the worry and hopefully, by god's grace, the worry brings us to the feet of jesus - where we should have been all along.

it is always sweet to hear addison's laugh after she has faced her elmo. it is the laugh of freedom and of joy. i pray, for each of us, that we would not only face our "elmos" but find freedom and joy in them knowing that our god is good.

amazing

so i am in love with this blog, this family, this story. is it amazing. quick recap - tricia has cf. her husband is nate. tricia was on a donor list for a double lung transplant but got pregnant. gave birth to baby gwyneth 15 1/2 weeks early and she is currently 12 weeks old and doing well. tricia went back on the transplant list and today...RIGHT NOW...is being prepped for surgery. please pray for this precious family, the surgery, the doctors and nurses, and the donor's family who are now suffering a loss while another family rejoices over a possibly renewed life.