the ponytail

Whatever makes him happy... and keeps him occupied...

These little plastic circles are coins that go to a toy cash register that Thomas has.

Any idea what in the world he is doing?? He has been playing with them, along with my candlestick holders for nearly an hour now.

Go Girl

If I just had one of these, I wouldn't have to use my empty Starbucks cup anymore.

Just kidding.

Seriously, I am not buying one of these.

Definitely not.

Definitely probably not.

"Arms up"

My little muscle man

Thomas, Catherine and I went to visit Mrs. Faye at Stones River Nursing Home yesterday morning. Thomas pulled Catherine around in his little wagon for about an hour. The "old folks" LOVED it!!

We came home, put Catherine down for a nap, ate lunch, and played with Poter (our neighbor.) Thomas pulled Porter (who weighs as much as he does) around our neighborhood.




Anyone want a ride?

Thomas and Catherine

Yeah, Catherine!

What He Said

Slithering Spa

Ever since that run-in with Adam and Eve, snakes have gotten a bad rap in the Holy Land. But at Ada Barak's spa in northern Israel, slithering reptiles don't give people the creeps. They give deep-tissue massages.

The treatment consists of six non-venomous snakes, massaging the client’s aching muscles and joints for about $70. Ada Barak’s spa uses California and Florida King snakes, Corn snakes and Milk snakes for the massage.








... and I thought the 10 gallon vat of hot oil massage I had at the Dead Sea was wierd.

Recycled socks

You know I couldn't throw away Thomas' old socks that don't fit him anymore. I used slick paint to make a non-skid bottom on them for Catherine. They aren't too tacky for bedtime, are they?

I heart warm weather!

We bought the kids new swings and a cheap-o little pool that they are in love with! Warm weather is my new best friend!

about Joe and I

This is kind of like the 25 things-except there are pre-decided questions and it's about you and your spouse, not just you. Come on, play along - inquiring minds want to know! :-)

1. What are your middle names?
Joseph Montgomery Scott & Sarah Catherine Dennis Scott

2. How long have you been together?
about 5 years. July will be our 4-year-wedding anniversary!

3. How long did you know each other before you started dating?
several months

4. Who asked who out?
We went out and I asked Joe, "Was that a date?"

5. How old are each of you?
I just hit the big 3-0! Joe will be 38 next month!

6. Who's the funny one?
I'm more conststently funny, but Joe comes up with stuff out of nowhere and catches everyone off guard.

7. Do you have any children together?
Thomas and Catherine

8. What about pets?
the Murf-myster

9. Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?
Having alone time. It's really hard with two babies!

10. Did you go to the same school?
no

11. Are you from the same home town?
no. He's from Knoxville and I am from Murfreesboro

12. Who is the smartest?
Definitely Joe.

13. Who is the most sensitive?
Definately Joe.

14. Where do you eat out most as a couple?
We woudl rather eat at home, but we love The Five Senses.

15. Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
Israel (for now).

16. What do you do on favorite date nights?
Eating dinner. Then, shopping for toys at specialty stores or for random stuff at Lowes. We love to hike or play tennis in warm weather.

17. Who has the worst temper?
Sarah

18. Who does the cooking?
Sarah

19. Who is the more social?
Sarah

20. Who is the neat-freak?
neither of us

21. Who is the more stubborn?
Definitely Sarah

22. Who hogs the bed?
neither... we both sleep on the edge.

23. Who wakes up earlier?
Joe is the morning person. We both get up early because of the kids.

24. Where was your first date?
A mexican place.

25.Who usually drives when you are out together?
depends whos car we take.

26. Do you get flowers often?
No. A long time ago, he tried to pick some up after work one day. He took forver to choose teh perfect boquet and then decided that none of them were good enough. So now, if he brings/ sends me some, I will assume that the were "good enough!" I would rather know that none are good enough than to actually get flowers.

27. How do you spend the holidays?
Depends on the holiday.

28. Who is more jealous?
neither.

29. How long did it take to get serious?
over a year

30. Who eats more?
Depends what it is and who is hungrier.

31. Who does/did the laundry?
Sarah

32. Who's better with the computer?
Joe

Unacceptable...

... but so toddler-like. Thomas eats the chocolate side from his waffle and tosses the rest.

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"Bye Bye"

The God Delusion

I just finished reading _The God Delusion_ by Richard Dawkins, and wrote this short "book review". Enjoy!

Joe Scott

Wow. Dawkins is a sharp intellect, to be sure. This was the first of his books I've read, and I was definitely impressed by his breadth of knowledge of a multitude of subjects, notably philosophy, which he leaned on heavily in his writing. I was not surprised, however, by the fact that like most atheists and attackers of Christianity in general he always attacked a "straw man" version of Evangelical Christianity, or attacked the worst aspects of this or that sort of "religion" to suit his needs of whatever point he was making. Also, I was a little bewildered at the very end, after all he had said in the previous chapters about how he can show so well that God does not exist (Chapter 4 is entitled "Why There Almost Certainly Is No God") he can make a statement such as "Our imaginations are not yet tooled-up to penetrate the neighbourhood of the quantum" (paperback, page 407) and other such phrases that seem to show, in the grand scheme of things, the universe -- and indeed concepts involving the universe -- is indeed bigger and grander than anything we can comprehend. To me, this begs the question: Could it be that your (or my) mind is not yet tooled-up (or ever will be tooled-up) to penetrate the neighbourhood of God? Could it be that a spiritual realm does in fact exist, and is NOT discernable by the typical means of senses and scientific investigation? I know what his answer would be to these questions -- that of "I have no need for your God to explain anything, therefore He doesn't exist" -- but I think that's been the answer generations of people have had who felt they had no need for God. I think he's a decent writer, if a bit wordy, and very intellectual. If I have the time, I will look at reading others of his works. Also, I'd be happy to have a civil conversation with anyone who might be interested in discussing the book with me.

My Amazing Wife

It’s Monday, March 16, 2009. Normally I’d be at work right now, pretty busy seeing a lot of patients. But today I’m at home. While I love being close to my family (recall my one other blog so far, explaining the title of the website) I daresay that simply being close to my family today isn’t the reason I’m here. I happened to have been struck quite viciously and without any warning by a particularly nasty stomach virus – at precisely 6:30 PM on March 12, 2009 – and it has left me rather incapacitated from not only the banal gastrointestinal issues but a singular fatigue that left me unable to rise from my bed longer than it took to head to the bathroom, do my business, and stagger back. I’ve had a few surgeries in the past and was hospitalized for one of them and even then I don’t ever recall feeling quite that ill, quite that helpless; it’s an unpleasant and humbling experience, to say the least.

My reason for even mentioning this short (thankfully!) part of my life is not to dwell on my personal health but to mention someone I am eternally grateful to God for having brought into my life: my wonderful wife, Sarah. For several weeks the internal medicine department of physicians at the clinic where I work have desired to have a five-hour (!) evening meeting to have a good heart-to-heart discussion among colleagues about varying agenda items. Well, I had signed up our house to be that meeting place, and the meeting was to take place on Friday, March 13. And all night, starting on Thursday, March 12, I was up every 30 minutes or so in the bathroom, and my gracious wife was there for me. On top of all that, she had worked all week long planning a menu, shopping for ingredients, cooking, and scrubbing our house from top to bottom to temporarily clean the widespread detritus that is necessarily a part of a home with two young children. So here I was, unable to move from my bed unless compelled to do so by my wretched bowels, and unable to go to work as a result, leaving Sarah with not two, but three persons incapable of caring for themselves without her help. With me miserably lying in bed, Sarah spent all day Friday directing the care of the two kids, cleaning, cooking, and fielding phone calls, all the while checking on me every so often, bringing me water or Gatorade, and generally giving me support. When she learned that the meeting was going to occur at a different colleague's house (I guess nobody wanted what I got – can’t imagine why not!) she gathered all the food together and took it an hour early to the other house, set up everything, and acted as hostess for my partners who met there without me. Needless to say, the reports I got over the weekend and today on the food have been nothing but stellar. One person highly dislikes couscous, but Sarah’s amazing recipe was quite delicious to him; another person disliked anything resembling artichokes, but she loved a vegetable dip which included that ingredient. Several people were known to have taken plates home with them of leftovers after the meeting was over.

The rest of the weekend was much the same: I remained quite ill and very weak and bedridden; my wife found the energy to care for me and our two young kids for an additional 48 straight hours. I did not get to witness much of it, as I was asleep a good part of the time – and that sleep is a big reason why I can write this blog today, for without it I would still, I am sure, be ill. Sarah got very little sleep – only she knows exactly how much – as she was up with the kids at night with their needy cries. I feel substantially better today, and certainly plan to return to work tomorrow. I don’t know if I could have done what she did this past weekend, though I would have tried. I think God makes women with a special ability that kicks into high gear when their families need their nurturing the most. I thank God that He gives women that ability. And, at this moment as I look on the other side of my bed and I see my precious wife, sound asleep, I thank God once again that He has given her to me.

Joe Scott

When pigs fly... or when dogs sleepwalk...

I know that I shouldn't find this funny because the poor dog was so embarrased, he tucked his tail in shame. I just couldn't help myself... it's hilarious!



... and it reminds me of this old video of the dog attacking himself!

Catherine's hair @ blogspot.com

I can't help myself. I can't refrain from blogging about Catherine's hair. It should really have it's own blogspot.

This is sooooo hard.

I just pulled my pound cake out of the oven and I want to pick the top off and eat it while it's still warm. YUMMO! I love the crunchy peaks and the soft, dense center. I'm drooling, but can't have any until tomorrow night. I'm cooking for Joe's department meeting.

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March 12-15
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Amy is engaged!

Amy is engaged to Matt Oliver! Our family adores him. Here's the happy couple...

The "thank you" card

Whatever happened to "thank you" cards? Are people no longer thankful when someone gives them a gift, makes them dinner, does them a favor or supports them through a hard time? I always send thank you notes (and have my kids do it, too). It's a great activity for the ten minutes while I am trying to find something for them to do while I scramble to get dinner made. Thomas loves to scribble a picture out on his own stationery. I am always amazed by the people who make comments to me like I am some kind of super-mom for getting thank you notes out amidst my busy family life.

I feel that if someone took the time and money to go to a store, select a gift, wrap it and give it to them, the least they can do is take 3-4 minutes to write a thank you note. I feel a bit resentful (if that is the right word) at not even having a gift acknowledged. How do I know they even got it? Even if it says nothing more than ''thanks.'' it's great. But I have recently stopped going through so much trouble for people who don't bother with thanks.

As a mother of two in diapers, I understand that all parents have really hectic lives, but still feel that we should make time for our values. In our family we strive to send thank you notes. I feel like this is teaching my kids about gratitude, and about gifts not being something you just expect or get automatically, but something special. We don't spend time bad mouthing people who don't send thank you cards, but we love the ones we get.

If you are not big on “thank you” notes, why?

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18

10-month-old piggytails

Invisible Mom

This entry is for all my friends who are Mom's. I found it on a MOPS newsletter and do not know who the author is. It was just what I needed today.

--------------------------------------

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'

Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more! Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this??

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude -but now, they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!?

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England . Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe . I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: 'To Katherine, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof, No one will ever see it. And the workman replied, Because God sees.'

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you, Katherine. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does.No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become. At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.

I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never seefinished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for 3 hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'You're gonna love it there.'

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Laminin

Here is a clip of Louie Giglio preaching during the Chris Tomlin “How Great is Our God Tour” and he talks about the cell adhesion protein molecule “laminin”. It’s the “glue” that holds our cells together. The stuff that holds our bodies together is in the shape of the cross! He quotes the verse Colossians 1:17 “He (Christ) is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”

Spring Is

Spring Is by Bobbi Katz

Spring is when the morning
sputters like bacon
and your sneakers
run down the stairs
so fast you can hardly keep up with them,
and
spring is when
your scrambled eggs
jump off the plate
and turn into a million daffodils
trembling in the sunshine.