geocaching

Ok, so many of you might be asking, "What the heck is geo what?". That is the same reaction I had when I had heard about it!

I have a friend from high school that has posted pictures and updates about his geocaching days and I just blew it off. I guess I wasn't ready to learn about something that I didn't even know how to pronounce! Last Sunday, Jason got a text from our Pastor saying that they were going geocaching and wanted to know if we wanted to go with him and his kids. Because it was our anniversary, we declined telling him we would do it another day.

Let me tell you my version about what geocaching is! Basically, it is a high tech, worldwide treasure hunt. You get on the computer and search for sites near you or wherever you are going to be. It gives you the coordinates of the location and you then use a GPS to get there and try and find the cache! Once you get to the location, you have to look around for containers...all different kinds. Some are pill bottles, some are wood blocks with holes cut out, some are tupperware. They are filled with "swag", the term used for what is in these containers. When you find the container, you sign the log book that is included in the container and then you leave something of yours and take something out. One box we found was filled with gold coins, rings, bracelets and all kinds of little things. The thrill isn't in what is in the container, but in actually finding it!!

We signed up for our username (countsfamily4) on Saturday night and on our way to church on Sunday, we stopped for a little geocaching!! After church, the boys didn't even want lunch, they wanted to go geocaching...and so we did until 3!! It is something that the whole family can enjoy together! Jason had to work on Sunday so I am going to introduce him to it tomorrow...just me and him while the kids are in school!

If you have never heard about it, here is the website that will tell you a little more about it and if you have never done it, you really need to give it a try because it is really a lot of fun!! Who doesn't like a good treasure hunt?!

www.geocaching.com

This was our very first one - "Ain't No Calf"

"Look down and pull up"

"Treasure Upon Treasure"

"A Lonely Potato Out in the Woods" ~ I don't recommend doing this one in flip flops!!!

10-10-10

Last week Jason and I celebrated our 13th anniversary! I enjoy taking the time on that day to reflect on our wedding day and to remember the vows that we made to each other.

With divorce all around me, this year was even more special. My marriage isn't perfect and it has taken work, but the reward is so great! I love the relationship that my hubby and I have with each other! I look forward to spending time with him and this year we have had a lot of that! With both kids in school all day and his work schedule being anything from traditional, we have a lot of time with each other! I love just being next to him on the couch while he is watching tv and I'm reading a book! I love being beside him in the car with no arguments coming from the back seats! I love that he is my best friend! I am proud to have celebrated 13 years of marriage!

On our anniversary, Dylan was asking a lot of questions about how we met, if we liked each other, what we did when we went out on dates and all kinds of stuff! We enjoyed sharing with him our "back story", as he called it! It made me smile when Jason was talking about how we didn't like each other AT ALL when we first met and then how our relationship grew from then on! It did my heart good to take the time to think back to when things were easy in our relationship. To remember all of the reasons we fell in love. To remind us where we have come from and talk about where we want to go. I want our boys to see how much their Mama and Daddy love each other and how much we love them. We took the time on our anniversary, to share with them how important marriage is and how important it is to us that we keep the promise that we made to each other. Divorce is all around them at school and there have been times when the question of whether or not we would get divorced has come up. I want them to be confident in the unit we call "family". I don't want them to wonder if their Mama and Daddy will ever get divorced.

I know that so many marriages are hard and that things don't always turn out the way that was ever expected. I just know that I want to do whatever it takes to make my marriage work and to be together another 113 years!! I am honored to be Mrs. Jason Counts and I count it a privilege to be walking side by side with him on this journey!

I love you, Honey!

f~a~l~l

I love fall ~ need I say more?!

comments are welcome

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W.O.F

Women of Faith ~ where do I even begin to share what an experience this is? I had never been to a W.O.F conference and last year I packed up and drove to Philly to see what it was about! I thought I was crazy to be doing this since they usually make it to Cleveland, Ohio the weekend after Philly...yes, only 1 hour away!!!! My mom had attended for a few years and then my sister started going and it wasn't long before they were both on me about going! You only have to attend once to know that this is a life-changing experience!

I really struggled with leaving this time. I was feeling guilty for leaving the kids only a few weeks into school, I was feeling bad that Jason had to take the time off from work to be with them the whole weekend, the cost of making the trip and I was just sad all the way around...not to mention extremely nervous about making that drive, by myself, in our very UNreliable van!! I know that Satan was doing everything he could to discourage me before I even got to W.O.F ~ he's like that ya know! I got the kids ready to go on Thursday and I got in the van ready to head out. Had to be strong for the kids, but I got in the van and cried! Cried about leaving my boys, cried because of nerves and the trip and cried because of the guilt I was feeling! I was so excited to be going and having this experience with my mom and sister again, but just feeling guilty!! Anyway...I made it to my sister's house with nothing exciting to speak of!!

The weekend was just as I expected ~ full of highs and lows, laughing and crying and just a roller coaster of emotions! As difficult as it is for me to orchestrate this whole trip, I absolutely LOVE sharing this experience with my mom and my sister! I am willing to make the sacrifice because it is just that priceless ~ although, it would be just as priceless if they drove to Ohio for the same experience!!!! I am so thankful how the Lord speaks to us, right where we are. I love that I don't have to clean up before I come to Him. I love that I don't have to make myself look a little better before He sees me. I love that I don't have to candy-coat how I REALLY feel. I love that in spite of it all, He loves me JUST THE WAY I AM!! Did you hear that? He loves me just the way I am ~ and guess what? He loves YOU just the way you are!!! Isn't that incredible?! I love that! Being with all of those women and knowing that God was right there with me was amazing! He looked at my messy self and came and met me in my seat! I am ready to go out, after this halftime of life and finish the game...at least until halftime next September!!

I was on such a high by the time the weekend was over and it felt good. I was ready to come home and be the perfect wife, the mom who never yells and the woman that can do it all! I hate the idea of leaving my family in DE, but I was ready to leave and put into practice the things that I learned over the weekend. I never sleep when I am away from home, so I decided that if I got up in the middle of the night, I would just head home instead of laying in bed HOPING to fall back to sleep! I moved the van forward so that I could start loading up my bags. Now mind you, I traveled alone so I only had two bags!! I really didn't need to load them up ahead of time, but I went ahead and pulled the van forward so that it was in front of my sister's house. To my "surprise", I couldn't steer the van! Are you kidding me? Now? If you know the Counts family and the history of the "van", you really wouldn't be surprised that I was having car problems! My sister went out and had to see what I was talking about! By the time my brother-in-law made it home and took the van for a spin, there was nothing wrong!! Doesn't that always figure?! I didn't sleep the night before because I was even more anxious than I was when I made the trip to DE in the first place!! I woke up to a gloomy, rainy Sunday which I wasn't excited about in the least! I started off on my trek home literally praying mile by mile that I would make it home! I would set a goal and then pray that I would make it there. I kept praying that I would be safe, that I would know what to do if something happened to the steering and that I would get to that next spot and then I continued to do this over and over and over the entire way home! Each time being sure that I said a prayer of thanks when I actually made it to that next spot! I was having some problems on the turnpike, but all across 80 everything was good. I was starting to get more confident as the trip went on! I was 20 miles from home and the car started acting up again! I just had to laugh because wouldn't it just be like God to get me that far and then have me break down on the side of the road?! Needless to say, I made it home in once piece, but I don't know if our van will be able to make another trip like that anytime soon!!

I was leaving the W.O.F weekend a little discouraged, but God turned that around and reminded me to trust Him! He gave me what I needed at that time! I had a great lesson in faith and trust on the way home and I am praying that I will not soon forget that He is with me ~ wherever I am!!

Mom and June ~ thank you for a great weekend! Thank you for the relationship we have with each other! I love and miss you so much!

because HE lives

Cutting the grass, for me, is time that I enjoy! Jason and I usually cut the grass together...I ride the tractor while he does the trimming with the mower and the weed eater! I enjoy listening to my tunes while I'm doing this, but yesterday was different ~ I spent the hour talking to my Father. There are some things that are weighing very heavily on my heart and I spent the time in prayer lifting them to Heaven. I am always amazed that the best "chats" with God are in the most odd places and at the most odd times ~ I'm glad that I can go to Him wherever I am, whenever I want! As I was praying, the Lord brought this song to my head ~ Because He Lives! If any of you know me, this is the song I want sung at my funeral because it offers so much hope for the future. We don't always know what the future holds, but we do know Who holds the future! I needed this from my Father yesterday! When I needed to hear Him, this is what He told me ~ because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone! WOW!! I get goosebumps just typing those words! It's not always easy to see that He is holding our future, but He's got it under control!

Thank you, Father, for speaking to me yesterday. I needed to hear your voice and through this song, I felt a peace that only came from You!

4th grade

I meant to write last week when Dylan started school, but the week went by so quick and became such a blur! I loved the carefree days of summer ~ I loved not having to follow a schedule! I went from those days, to getting up at 5:45am (which should be against the law, by the way!), getting myself showered and dressed, getting the kids up at 6:45am and then getting them on the bus by 7:40am!! It is insane!

My Dylan was not really looking forward to school this year. Last year, about 2 weeks before school started, he was ready to go back. This year, he didn't even talk about school and going back. I think a lot of that was because of the situation with Zachary and not knowing what was happening with him. His class list posted about a week before school started and when I asked him if he wanted to see whose class he was in, he wasn't interested (we did end up finding out through a friend and he was excited about his teacher!). He finally started getting excited at his open house! Now, for those of you have been to open house, it is pure craziness and I can't get OUT soon enough!!! Anyway, once he was in his classroom and seeing his friends and teachers, he was ready to start the 4th grade!! He never went to sleep until after 2 in the morning!!!

What is really scary is I remember when I was in 4th grade! I had Mrs. Lawson and that was the year that I forged a note to the teacher ~ yep, I wasn't always the good girl!!! I didn't do my homework, so I had a friend write a letter saying that I was at my grandmother's house and didn't have a "chance" to get it done. The funny thing was that when my friend signed my grandmother's name, she spelled it wrong! I brought it to her attention, she crossed it off and wrote the correct spelling right above it...in another color!! The best part about the whole thing was I was dumb enough to turn it in! I don't remember what my punishment was, but I do remember that my mom got called to the school about it! Isn't it funny what you will try and get away with? Well, now that I have kids, it isn't really funny because I will reap what I sowed!!

I love to see how Dylan is growing. Just to look at him he is getting so tall and grown up looking. He had to get glasses this year, so that makes him look that much older! I look at him and I don't see a little boy anymore and it makes me sad. I remember taking him to Kindergarten and how I cried when I dropped him off and he was only half day! First day of school, I have always taken him out to breakfast, dropped him off at school and then picked him up at the end of the day. This year when I dropped him off, I got a little teary eyed. I watched him get out of the van and walk into the school like a pro, but I wondered what was going on inside of him ~ was he nervous? Would he be embarrassed if I wrote him notes and put them in his lunch bag? Would he mind if I came and sat with him while he had lunch? When he got home we talked about some of those things and I am happy to say that I AM allowed to still write notes in his lunch AND I am allowed to come and eat with him!

I love how sweet and caring he is. I love that he was excited that his brother would be going to the same school as him. I love that he still comes up and wraps his little arms around me. I love that I gave him "kissing hands" and he put his hand up to his cheek today when he was having a hard time. I love that he will still reach up and put his hand in mine when we are walking . I love that he IS still a little boy, even though he is growing up quickly. I love that he is so much like me. I love that he is so much like his Daddy. I love him and am so proud of him!

cutting the cord

Today was Zachary's first day of Kindergarten and while he was excited and a little nervous, this mama's heart was breaking! The thing that I hate the most about this...is that I have many more moments like this in the years to come!

In the beginning of the summer I had posted that we weren't sure where Zachary would be attending school. We pretty much decided that if he didn't get into Montgomery, we were going to home school him because we didn't like our other options. The idea of keeping him home for school was rather appealing to me, but at the same time, I wanted what was best for him!! When we told him that he was going to be going to school with Dylan, his eyes filled up with tears and he was just beside himself! In that moment, the Lord made it very clear that this was His plan and I was thanking Him for working it all out! I hate waiting ~ when I have a plan, I want to get it into motion and this was totally out of my hands!! I don't know that I want to play this "game" again next year so we are asking that the Lord start working on it right now!!!

We got home from his open house last night and my heart was breaking. My Zachary was so excited to start school and spread his wings and I just wanted to curl up and cry ~ and that is just what I did!! I have been strong and been encouraging and made this new experience sound great, but I was falling apart!! My heart was aching for what was to come. He was up so early this morning and all ready to go to school by 7 ~ we ate breakfast, we took pictures and we had some down time for me to answer any questions that he might have...he was so brave! I gave him "kissing hands" (if you don't know what this is, it is in a book called The Kissing Hand), drew 2 little red hearts on his pointer fingers and we were off to school. When we pulled up, he decided that he didn't want to get out of the car, but Dylan so sweet and loving, helped him out of the car and I watched 2 pieces of my heart walk into that building and my heart hurt. I cried all the way home and then some! Peanut went with us in the car and I was to take care of him all day ~ what Zachary didn't know was that Peanut dried Mama's tears throughout the day!

I am excited for this new chapter in Zachary's life! I have been praying that the Lord will use his little life for good; that he will grow into a Godly, young man and honor our Father! I know that God has big plans for him and I am giving his life over...as much as it hurts my heart, I realize that he is only mine to borrow ~ Zachary belongs to Jesus! Those boys are my pride and joy and I am excited to see how they are both growing. Thank you, Jesus, for letting me have them for a time.

the day summer ended

Wow! The whole summer has gone by and I am just getting around to posting a new entry! We have had a busy summer this year ~ and when I say busy, I mean lots of swimming, staying up late watching movies, games, beach days, etc! We have enjoyed the company of each other, but I swear my kids have a sensor that they flip the week to 2 weeks before school starts that makes me ready to see the summer end! They start to get on each others nerves, they start to get on my nerves and I believe they even start to get on their own nerves!!! As much as I hate to see the summer end, I know that they are getting anxious for this new school year to begin. As I sit here typing out this blog, we still don't know what is going to happen with Zachary and his schooling. It is a possibility that I will be homeschooling him for his Kindergarten year. We have put it all in the hands of our Father and know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that what is best for Zachary and our family is going to be the outcome. I slept last night wrapped up in blankets of peace and it felt good!!

I sat the other day thinking about this summer and I could do nothing but smile! We started off the summer making a list of all of the things we wanted to do. The list included a pillow fight, catch lightning bugs, swim, stay in a hotel, the beach, Lake Erie, a boat ride and more. I wanted them to list the things they wanted to do and then we spent the summer working on crossing those things off one by one! We still have a few things that are unchecked, but we accomplished many of those things and we enjoyed every minute doing so! I am going to miss the carefree days we shared during the summer, but I am also looking forward to a routine! I am so thankful for the family that I have been blessed with...those in this house and those that live in other states!

Our Summer in a Nutshell...

father's day

This time of the year is always a little sad ~ thinking back 25 years ago, to the day that I lost my Daddy; the day that Heaven gained an angel! There are times that the pain of that day is at the surface of my heart and then there are times that it is a distant memory. Time has healed the hurt and pain of that loss, but lately I have been missing him and wishing he was here; wishing that he was a part of our lives. June 23, 1985 changed my life forever; that was the day that my innocence as a little girl was lost. I began to see the world for what it really was. I began to fear things that most little girls never even think about. I had seen the worst of the worst on that day and my life changed.

I still can't believe that they never caught the guy that took my Daddy away from me and I look at that in two different ways. First, I'm mad about it! Mad that, on this earth, he may never have to pay for what he did. I know that God is the ultimate judge, but when you are a victim of a violent crime, you want justice served and I have to deal with the fact that I may never see that happen. Then, second, I'm glad that they haven't caught the guy that took my Daddy away from me. I have seen the way our justice system works and I'm not so sure that I would want to see this man get caught and then serve a few years and be done with it. It's crazy how back and forth my thinking is on this.

I remember when I turned 33 ~ so many emotions went with that. I actually felt guilty for being alive! My dad's life ended at 32 and here I was, his little girl, already living longer than what he should have! I struggled for many weeks with this and yet, couldn't believe that I was struggling with it! When Jason and I first got married, all I could think about was something happening to him. Satan was always trying to get the best of me and I believe that there were times that he did. I feared loosing a piece of me, like my mom had lost a piece of her. I would think about how strong she was and how she faced life head on even though her heart was broken. I found a new admiration for her after I was married. Excuse me while I talk to my Mom for a minute ~ "Mom, I hope that you always know how much I look up to you. Not only for the mom that you have been, but the woman that you are. I know that you don't feel so strong at times, but I have seen you face life with a determination and a fight ~ let God fight the fight when you are weak! Thank you for always being an example to me. Thank you for always taking the time to make a memory. Thank you for loving me unconditionally! I love you more than words can express!"

I mentioned how my life changed as a little girl ~ but let me tell you how I was blessed because of this "change". My Daddy may not have been there to see me grow up; to see me graduate, to see me go to college, to see me get married, to see my boys and be a grandfather...all of the major events in my life, but I did have a Dad to be a part of all those things! My Step-in-Dad (as he calls himself) came into the picture in 1988! Now granted, nobody, except my mom, was really thrilled about this idea! We gave "Bob" a run for his money those first few years!! We had so much to learn about each other and so much to learn about how this new "family" thing was going to work. It wasn't always the best, but how I love this man I am proud to call my Dad! We have grown so much over the years. I went from calling him "Bob" to proudly calling him "Dad" and then wondering why I didn't call him that sooner. I am so thankful that the Lord brought him into our lives. He never wanted to take the place of my Daddy, and he said that over and over again, but what he did do, was fill a void in such a loving way. Talkin to my Dad now ~ "Dad, where do I even begin to tell you how much I love you? To think about where we were when you first came into my life and where we are now! My eyes are overflowing with tears as I think about the love that you consistently showered on us, even when things were tough! How blessed I am that you are my Dad! Thank you for never giving up on me. Thank you for loving me unconditionally. Thank you for being you! I love you so very much and I am proud to call you my Dad! If I could write you a poem of my own, I would, but that's your gift. I did find one that I liked and wanted to share with you.

"What Makes a Dad"
Author Unknown

God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so, He called it ... Dad

Happy Father's Day! I love you very much!

So, you see ~ I may have lost something precious in my life, but I gained something wonderful!




We should really think about getting a more recent picture together, don't ya think?!

crazy days of summer

I can't believe that it has been 2 weeks since I have had anything to say ~ we have been crazy busy, but it looks like things are beginning to settle down!! I love sleeping in, I love not ever knowing what time it is, I love being able to eat dinner whenever we want (we are early dinner eaters during the school year because Zachary still goes to bed at 7!), I love picking up and going to the spray park at 5 o'clock if we want to...I love the carefree days of summer! I'm not real crazy about being hot, but I'll live with it! We made a list of all the things we want to do during the summer: catch lightning bugs, pillowfight, game night, stay up till 11(the kids of course :), have a movie night out in the clubhouse, etc. I can't wait till we are able to check each of these things off. Each check mark is a memory and I want this summer to be full of togetherness and memories! I'm looking forward to it!

The family went and picked strawberries twice ~ I think we ended up picking about 24 pounds!! I made tons of strawberry jam for the first time and I must say, it was quite good ~ 1 jar of it is already gone! It was very time consuming, but so much fun and so worth it! To have the boys say, "I want your jam, Mama" ~ I love it! And, to be able to make it for my hubby was awesome, since it is his favorite! Now we are waiting on the cucumbers and tomatoes for the next project! We have spent many days at the spray park already! Zachary gets his cast off on Tuesday, so we are waiting until then to hit the pool! The doc said he could get his cast wet, but once it dries he can't get it wet again! Zachary is one of those kids that swims for about 20 minutes and then sits wrapped up under a towel for 3 hours! That would never work with the little cast! We have our summer all planned out! Crafts, reading, concerts at the bandshell, community activites, pool, vacation, etc. I like having all these things planned and not having to do ANY of them if we don't want too!! I like having the options with no obligations to be at any of them if it doesn't work out! Living in the moment this summer!

We did get some bad news, which I am trying to forget about till August or so! We have had problems with the school district that we live in...no one can really tell us which district we live in! To make a REALLY long story short: Dylan's school district is different than Zachary's ~ go figure! We opened enrolled Zachary at Dylan's school and another local school and found out that both were denied. The district that Zachary is in is HORRIBLE and we refuse to send him to that school. Then, the same day I got the letter about Zachary, I found out that Dylan may be shipped off to another school too! His class is so big that each year they have had to add a teacher to accomodate the size of his class...this year they decided to just ship the kids to other schools! We are afraid that Dylan will end up being sent somewhere we don't want him at and we will have no control over it by then! Needless to say, Dylan was heartbroken that Zachary won't be in the same school as him for his first year (and we have yet to let Zachary in on that bad news). Needless to say, we talked to Dylan and he is willing to go to a different school just so he can be with Zachary as long as he has the option of going back to his school at another time! We have open enrolled them at a school outside of Ashland and now it is in the Lord's hands ~ we won't know anything until August 19th and school starts on the 25th!! A little stressed but I am determined that I am leaving it in the Lord's hands and I'm not going to worry all summer about it. I am going to enjoy my kids and my husband and the extra time we all have to spend together. Carpe Diem ~ I am siezing the day!!

I guess, on that note, I will close this entry!

childlike faith

I am rejoicing with the angels and my Father in Heaven!!!!! Our Zachary asked Jesus to come into his heart tonight!! Jesus made it so simple that my precious, 5 year old was able to understand that all he had to do was ask!!! It amazes me that the older we get, the more we try to analize everything. Jesus said that all we had to do was confess with our mouth and believe in our heart and we would be saved.

We were talking about Heaven tonight and Zachary said he wanted to go there. Dylan was telling him that he had to be saved. Zachary, being only 5, didn't really know what that meant, but he knew that he wanted to live with Jesus because he "likes Him and loves Him". He told me that He knew that Jesus loved him even more than he loves Jesus. Zachary has been talking about asking Jesus to come into his heart for quite some time now. As parents, it's hard because we never wanted to push him into this decision, but we also never wanted to discourage him from making the biggest decision of his life! I told him that when he was ready, to let Mama and/or Daddy know and we would pray with him. He looked me in the eye and said, and I quote, "I'm ready now, Mama!" Such determination in that little face and those eyes that I quickly decided to place it in the LORD'S hands!!! I told him what he needed to say and he said, "I know" and with that, he started praying and as he was, he was crying! I believe that he knew what he was doing!!! It was as simple as telling Jesus that he wanted to Him to live in his heart for the rest of his life and to take him to Heaven when he dies and then he said, "I love you, Jesus!" ~ and with that, Mama began to cry!!

Oh, my cup runneth over ~ thank you, Father, for your forgiveness and for your faithfulness. You showed me tonight that these things aren't in my timing but Yours! I put these precious boys in your hands and pray that both Dylan and Zachary live their lives to honor and glorify you in all they do. I pray that I am an example that they can follow. Forgive me for the times that my life wasn't Your mirror and thank you for second chances!

My heart is full!!

any answers?

Can you cry under water?

Why do you have to 'put your two cents in'... but it's only a 'penny for your thoughts'? Where's that extra penny going to?

Once you're in heaven, do you get stuck wearing the clothes you were buried in for eternity?

Why does a round pizza come in a square box?

What disease did cured ham actually have?

How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?

Why is it that people say they 'slept like a baby' when babies wake up like every two hours?

If a deaf person has to go to court, is it still called a hearing?

Why are you IN a movie, but you're ON TV?

Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?

Why do doctors leave the room while you change?
They're going to see you naked anyway...

Why is 'bra' singular and 'panties' plural?

Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?

If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a stupid song about him?

If the professor on Gilligan's Island can make a radio out of a coconut, why can't he fix a hole in a boat?

Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours?
They're both dogs!

If Wile E. Coyote had enough money to buy all that ACME crap, why didn't he just buy dinner?

If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, what is baby oil made from?

If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?

Do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune?

Why did you just try singing the two songs above?

Why do they call it an asteroid when it's outside the hemisphere, but call it a hemorrhoid when it's in your butt?

Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him for a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?

Why, Why, Why
do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are getting dead?

Why do banks charge a fee on 'insufficient funds' when they know there is not enough money?

Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?

Why do they use sterilized needles for death by lethal injection?

Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?

Why does Superman stop bullets with his chest, but ducks when you throw a revolver at him?

Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

Whose idea was it to put an 'S' in the word 'lisp'?

If people evolved from apes,
why are there still apes?

Why is it that no matter what color bubble bath you use the bubbles are always white?

Is there ever a day that mattresses
are not on sale?

Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to eat will have materialized?

Why do people keep running over a string a dozen times with their vacuum cleaner, then reach down, pick it up, examine it, then put it down to give the vacuum one more chance?

Why is it that no plastic bag will open from the end on your first try?

How do those dead bugs get into those enclosed light fixtures?

When we are in the supermarket and someone rams our ankle with a shopping cart then apologizes for doing so, why do we say, 'It's all right?' Well, it isn't all right, so why don't we say, 'That really hurt, why don't you watch where you're going?'

Why is it that whenever you attempt to catch something that's falling off the table you always manage to knock something else over?

In winter why do we try to keep the house as warm as it was in summer when we complained about the heat?

How come you never hear father-in-law jokes?

And my FAVORITE.........
The statistics on sanity is that one out of every four persons are suffering from some sort of mental illness. Think of your three best friends -- if they're okay, then it's you.

(A friend sent this to me and I enjoyed reading it ~ hope you did too :)

bittersweet

Today, the Counts said good bye to preschool. Preschool is a thing of the past ~ we are now on to bigger and better!

When we said our prayers last night, Zachary told me that he was nervous about his graduation! We prayed that he wouldn't be nervous and that he would enjoy his day! I made sure that we were in the gym bright and early so that this Mama could be in the front row taking everything in! I watched my Zachary walk in with his class, playing with his shirt because he was nervous! (He wasn't happy about wearing the purple cap, either!) My camera was acting up at this point, so I don't have any pictures of him walking in. The three classes sang their songs, yelled out and made the parents giggle in their seats! I sat there, as proud as could be, watching my little boy...do NONE of the above!! He stood there just looking at me with a blank stare on his face!! I couldn't help but let my mind wander back to when Dylan was in preschool ~ he was probably the loudest one! Those boys are so different but I love them for who they are and for who they are becoming!

My camera was giving me a hard time, so it wasn't until Zachary got his certificate, that I got any pictures of him. I spent much of the time playing around with the settings on my camera and taking pictures of kids I didn't even know!! The lady next to me was beginning to get a little nervous, I think! The moment came when they called "Zachary Counts" and he walked up to his teachers, got his certificate, stopped to pose for a picture and walked off the platform ~ off the platform to a new phase in his life...Kindergarten! Zachary went to preschool 2 days a week for only 2 1/2 hours...he will be going to Kindergarten ALL day and I'm not happy about this folks! It bothers me that I had a choice, with Dylan, whether or not I wanted him in all day or half day Kindergarten and I don't have that choice with Zachary.

This was a bittersweet day for Mama, but I am not going to spend the next few months dreading the fall but rather enjoying the time with my kids! I am going to choose to step over the laundry (not every time, of course) and play a game with the kids or throw water balloons or do something to make a memory! I am going to stop and take in the smiles and the laughter and the joy that those boys bring to my heart!

my new favorite flower

When Jason and I were buying the plants for our garden, I came across this plant and fell in love with it! It has to be the most beautiful flower I have ever seen ~ it is a fushia plant. The flower starts as a fushia ball and then when it opens, it has this beautiful, deep purple flower inside! It is just gorgeous and I had to share my new favorite thing!!

memorial day

Freedom Is Not Free
- Kelly Strong

I watched the flag pass by one day.
It fluttered in the breeze.
A young Marine saluted it,
and then he stood at ease.
I looked at him in uniform
So young, so tall, so proud,
He'd stand out in any crowd.
I thought how many men like him
Had fallen through the years.
How many died on foreign soil?
How many mothers' tears?
How many pilots' planes shot down?
How many died at sea?
How many foxholes were soldiers' graves?
No, freedom isn't free.

I heard the sound of TAPS one night,
When everything was still
I listened to the bugler play
And felt a sudden chill.
I wondered just how many times
That TAPS had meant "Amen,"
When a flag had draped a coffin
Of a brother or a friend.
I thought of all the children,
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives.
I thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea
Of unmarked graves in Arlington.
No, freedom isn't free.


How true this is! We take our freedom for granted so many times. I think about the price that was paid - the lives that were lost and the sacrifices made. I have always been patriotic ~ I cry when I hear the national anthem, I tear up when I see a soldier in uniform, I proudly wave my flag, but I never REALLY thought about it until my brother-in-law was in Iraq. My Daddy, my "step-in-Dad", my father-in-law, my grandfather, my pop, my brother-in-law have all served in our military (and more that I KNOW I am forgetting), but I wasn't around when they were in the military, I wasn't aware of the sacrifice. I remember when my sister called my and told me that her husband, Steve, was going to Iraq. There were no words, just many tears shed. I remember the day he left ~ the uncertainty of his return, the heart ache, the loneliness my sister felt day after day. No, freedom isn't free. The families make sacrifices whether their soldier comes home or not. I THOUGHT I was patriotic. Now, I can't even sing the national anthem, I blubber when I see a soldier in uniform and I take every opportunity to thank our soldiers and their families and I continue to proudly wave my flag, if not flags! Everyone has seen pictures of Arlington cemetery, if not been there. No, freedom is not free ~ there was a high price paid for what I enjoy today.

Thank you, Dad and Pop, for serving in our military. Thank you, Steve, for continuing your service in the Army. Thank you to the families that have lost a soldier. I will never forget the price that has been paid.

facing my fears

When Dylan went into Kindergarten, the hardest thing I had to deal with was putting his life in the hands of someone else. I stood and watched him get onto that bus for the first time and my heart hurt. For the first time in his little life, I was having to trust someone else to watch out for him and protect him. I struggled with this for quite some time. I know that my precious boys belong to my Jesus, but I am human and that part of me wants to protect them forever!

This morning, I had to face this fear. I stood outside and waved to my little 3rd grader as he got on the bus. I don't stand outside every morning, but this morning we were all dressed and ready to start our day! Dylan gets on his bus and he waves at me until he can't see me anymore ~ pricless! I stood there waving and signing "I love you" until his bus was out of sight. Zachary and I were standing there with Dabby when I heard the most awful sound ~ the screeching of tires and the breaking of glass! (My stomach is sick even as I write that!) I ran to the end of the driveway and see the bus sitting there with a huge cloud of smoke billowing up from it! My heart began to race and I went into "protective Mama mode"!! I grabbed Dabby and yelled for Zachary to get in the house. I jumped in the car and drove to the end of the street to see the bus stopped, a red car smashed up, broken glass on the street and my "baby" sitting on that bus!!

I jumped out of the car and it looked like everyone was ok ~ kids on the bus were fine and the lady that was driving the car was out of her car talking to the busdriver. I looked around and thanked the Lord for His protection! It could have been so much worse and yet, nobody was hurt. I guess the lady had lost control of her car and the busdriver slammed on his breaks to avoid hitting her. She ended up hitting the bus and damaging her car, but she wasn't hurt except for the seatbelt pulling across her shoulder. Dylan got off the bus and was very shaken up, as you can imagine! I asked him if he wanted me to take him to school and he took me up on that offer!!

We headed back home to pick Zachary up and get Dylan to school! As we're driving down the street, I see Zachary half way up the road walking towards me!! We stopped the car and little boy had tears in his eyes...he was scared and was coming to see if his "best brother" (his affectionate nickname for his brother) was ok! Dylan was telling me his side of the story. All he knew was that they slammed on the breaks, the busdriver was getting off the bus and yelling to the kids not to get off the bus and he sees this huge cloud of smoke. He didn't realize that it was just a cloud of dust, so he was freakin out that the bus was gonna explode or something and the busdriver told them to stay on the bus!!! By the time we got to school, everyone had calmed down and the heartrates had returned to normal!!

"Thank you, Father, for your hand of protection around that bus and the kids and the lady driving the car. Thank you that nobody was injured in this accident."

dylan

I just need to brag on my "little" boy! I can't believe that it was 9 years ago that he came into this world and changed our lives forever!! He continues to bring more joy into our lives than we know what to do with...most of the time! Those of you who know Dylan, know what a sweet, tender heart he has. When we were driving to Delaware in December, we found out while at a rest stop, that Mom Mom went to Heaven. Dylan looked at me with tears in his eyes and the sweetest look ever, and said, "That was Jesus birthday present this year." He is always concerned for others and their well being. When Zachary broke his arm, he was the one that was doing all the crying ~ kinda reminds me of when my sister fell against the fireplace at my aunt's house ~ I was the one crying and SHE was telling me she was alright...memories!

I love to sit and talk with just Dylan ~ I absolutely love the relationship that has developed between us! His goal is to always make you laugh and that alone just cracks me up. He is a character ~ otherwise known as "Hollywood", most recently! The boy dreams of Hollywood and being in front of the camera. He just had to do a commercial to sell a cereal he made up based on a book he read! He wrote and directed his commercial and was so excited to show it to his class, he begged his teacher to do it a day early! He was very excited to bring home his A+ for his report!!

Before I end this post for tonight, I just had to share this cause it cracked me up. A few months ago, Dylan came out of his room and said that he had something on his nerves and asked if there was something I could do to help get it off! I asked him what was bothering him and he replied, "I have NO idea!"

Dylan ~ I love you more than words can describe! My prayer for you is that no matter what you do, you will allow Jesus to have a special place in your heart and life!

you're still the one

Marriage is the union of husband and wife in heart, body and mind. It is intended for mutual joy ~ and for the help and comfort given to another in prosperity and adversity. But more importantly ~ it is a means through which a stable and loving environment may be attained. I have committed, to the love of my life, to face our disappointments, embrace our dreams, realize our hopes and accept our failures ~ TOGETHER! Our relationship stands for love, loyalty, honesty and trust, but most of all for friendship. Marriage requires daily attention and is backed with the will to make it last a lifetime.

I am truly honored to be Mrs. Jason Counts. I thank the Lord daily for the man that he has blessed me with. I am so thankful for the time that we have to enjoy each other's company. It gets harder and harder to be husband and wife with the boys ~ sometimes I forget what it was like before the kids came along, but then we have a night to ourselves, and it all comes back! I still get butterflies in my stomach when he comes home from work, or when I hear his voice or see his face! I love that! I love that we never leave each other without giving each other kisses and telling the other that we love them...NEVER!! I love that, after 12 years, he is still my best friend in the world! I love that we like each other! I love that we want to spend time together! I count it a privilege to be walking through this journey we call life, next to my best friend. I wouldn't want it any other way! Love isn't just something that we're in, it's something that we do!

my fashion statement

Ok...I'm not saying that I look good, but I have rediscovered the hat!! Ya know on those days where you just don't feel like doing your hair? We are planning on working outside in the garden and mowing and planting flowers and I didn't feel like making a fashion statement to go outside and do all that!! I'm wearing a hat and I'm ok with it!!

stop and smell the roses!

I was outside late last night, waiting for Dabby to do her business, and I just stood there in awe ~ not in awe of Dabby and her business, but of the sky! Black as black could be, sprinkled with a massive amount of stars, as far as the eye could see! I just stood there, couldn't take my eyes off the twinkling stars above! Then I was out early this morning, enjoying the beauty of the morning ~ listening to the birds chirp, feeling the gentle breeze on my face, all while looking at the bluest sky! What a world we live in! Psalm 19:1 comes to mind: "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands"

Have you taken the time to just stop and "smell the roses"? Taken the time to really look at the beauty that is around us?

I beg you to stop today ~ take in your surroundings! Thank the Lord above that you have your sight and that you can see His beautiful creation! Let me know what you took the time to see today!

Have a good one!

off to the ER

It was a week ago today ~ our little boy decided to jump off his foot board and broke his arm. We found out that he apparently does this often but sometimes he only gets hurt a little; this time he got hurt big!

The weather in Ashland had been crazy! We were used to tornado watches/warnings when we lived in Missouri ~ we lived through a tornado! When we moved to Ohio we thought we would be rid of the scare...WRONG!! We spent quite a bit of time in our basement with blankets spread out on the floor! It was turning out to be a long week!

Jason had off on Wednesday, so we just enjoyed being together the WHOLE day! The boys were in Zachary's room messing around and things were starting to get out of control. I just voiced to Jason that someone was gonna get hurt. I heard this screaming, but couldn't tell if it was laughing or crying. Jason was coming out of the kitchen as I was heading to the room. As we got closer, I could hear Dylan screaming, "He broke his arm! He broke his arm!". I was trying to figure out how he knew that Zachary broke his arm...until Zachary came to the door and I saw his precious, little arm just hanging, disfigured. Jason scooped him up and they headed to the ER. I was left with a hysterical Dylan ~ he was crying more than Zachary was! I tried to get him calmed down and then I went into "CLEAN" mode! Whenever I'm faced with a crisis or sick child, my first instinct is to go around and straighten up. I know this is crazy, but this is me! I called a very sweet friend and she rushed over to pick Dylan up so that I could be at the hospital with Zachary and Jason.

I got to the hospital and saw that little boy laying in that huge bed and my heart sunk...again! They were just getting ready to take him back to xray his, obviously, broken arm and he looked at me and started crying, "I'm sorry I broke my arm, Mommie!" I was doing everything in my power to keep the tears contained in front of my boy! It was only 2 months and 6 days before this that he broke his collarbone and he was apologizing for breaking that bone!! I was afraid that childrens services was going to be giving us a call about our care of Zachary!

Needless to say, they haven't called and Zachary is doing amazingly well! Swelling is completely gone and he has complained of nothing but the fact that he is frustrated having to do everything with his left hand!! Things have returned to normal...the boys are fighting again, the laundry still piles up and the dog still has to go out!!

Life with boys ~ I wouldn't want it any other way! Man I love them...all three of them!

and this is where it begins!

I'm not really sure why I am doing this, but I have decided to start a blog! I was never the girl that kept a diary and journaling as an adult has never happened either. I have notebooks for each of the kids that I write in for them and even that hasn't happened in awhile! I don't know...I guess I have just felt like having a place to pencil my thoughts. If you want to offer encouragement, feel free. If you want to get some encouragement, I hope you find it here. If you want a laugh, most likely you will find that here, too! I'm doing this for myself, but I'm inviting you to walk this journey with me!