Pre-Thanksgiving Chaos…

So…my however many “Days of Thanksgiving” Blog has been tabled for now, and I am replacing it with   “Oh my GOSH- tomorrow is Thanksgiving and our entire family is here to celebrate Cody’s birthday” blog… Hang with me, it should be entertaining.

Tuesday, November 20^th,  was Cody’s birthday.  I am not going to go into WHAT birthday, however, I will tell you that last year was a big one…and we were limited on celebrating because we had just moved…and because I had a head injury…all that being said- I wanted this year to be special!!! So- we went to eat at Pignetti’s where we were joined by some of our closest friends, including the owners, Clinton and Ledia Harwell…now having Clinton and Ledia along for any event means there will be some good wine, and Tuesday was no exception.  We had a fun night…good food, good wine and great fellowship!  Not to mention an incredible slice of chocolate cake…

Then my plan was to have our kids over Wednesday night for homemade chicken strips and fries (one of Cody’s favs) while we all did some pre-Thanksgiving cooking together!  Karen and Bobby came over as well, so that Karen and I could make cornbread dressing together.

Because our Thanksgiving Day is going to be spent at home with our kids and no extras, I knew that I had to step up my baking this year.  For those of you who don’t know- I don’t like to bake. (Refer to my previous blog “Baking for My Boy” from December 2011) Something bad always happens when I bake…always.

I left work early.  Picked up GoGo Mini Cupcakes for Cody’s birthday dinner (delicious, but expensive…however, if I had to bake cupcakes all day long, mine would cost twice as much, not be as tasty, and I doubt I would deliver them over to my customers with a smile.); picked up the Thanksgiving food I had ordered from Schoepf’s (I cheated a little bit this year) and braved an afternoon before Thanksgiving shopping trip to H.E.B…I came home and did a rush clean up job around the house and by 3:30 I was in my kitchen cooking! 

Now, here is a problem I have, it is more like a huge flaw and my family and friends know it…and I really believe it is the root of the reason I hate to bake…I try to do too many things at once, and I plan to get way too many things done in the time allowed.  Let me tell you what I planned to get done yesterday, and I think you will agree.

Bake cornbread and prepare dressing. Bake sweet potatoes for sweet potato casserole. Bake 2 pumpkin pies, 2 coconut pies, and a brownie bottom cheesecake. Make one dozen deviled eggs. Boil chicken for giblet gravy and dressing. Fry chicken strips and homemade fries and sweet potato fries, make broccoli with cheese sauce and a salad to feed the 10-15 people who would be at my house for Cody’s birthday meal. (By the way, somewhere along the way, I gave up the plan to have salad.  A huge concession on my part, but a wise one, I think).

Things were really rocking along pretty nicely for awhile.  I had made the cornbread, and the brownie bottom of the cheesecake was in the oven baking.  Chicken was boiling and the eggs were done. I had enlisted the help of Aubrey and Katherine for the peeling of the potatoes and breading the chicken for frying and turned the deviled egg duties over to Allie.  Lynnsay and H.B. came in, and I put them to work frying.  First snag was not enough vegetable oil- so Dave went on a quick run.  Second snag- Allie uses real mayo and black olives and green chilis in her deviled eggs- Allie and Kat made a quick run.  I had added the cheese cake top to the brownie bottom and it was baking.  I was now preparing pumpkin pies and coconut pies.  Karen had come in and taken over the job of washing dishes as we worked, and helping Lynnsay keep an eye on the fries.  H.B. had taken over the chicken frying duties and had added aggravating everyone in the house to his list of responsibilities. The house was loud and chaotic. Just the way I like it- but not the best environment to try to follow directions while baking. (Clue as to why I am not good at baking) Something had to give…I was paying close attention to my baking, but I had not been paying the best attention to the dinner preparations…Cody had long since broken into his mini cupcakes…and Aubrey was in full hungry mode…but dinner was FINALLY ready… Everyone gathered in the kitchen and I began to put all of the food onto the island.  I picked up the Pyrex pan that was piled high with the yummy homemade fried chicken strips and turned to place it on the island when the whole pan exploded!!

Yes.  It literally EXPLODED in my hands. The chaos turned to a brief moment of silence and then Cody broke it, by saying, in a somewhat irritated voice, “Well what do y’all want to go pick up for dinner?” Everyone was immediately shocked into action… Glass was everywhere, and I mean everywhere.  All over the stove, all over the cabinets, down my shirt, all around bare (yes- bare)feet…As everyone began to jump into action and I was taking stock to make sure that I had only received small cuts and scooping chunks of glass from  my clothing, while being given orders by my children of where to go and how to get there-suddenly Jacob came and carried me out of the kitchen. Aubrey was crying (she hates messes). Cody was irritated and I was still in shock…

After being commanded to change clothes, I came into the kitchen to help as Cody gave Dave money to go pick up Bush’s Chicken and overheard Cody tell Bobby that I had dropped the pan of chicken… I defended myself by telling him that I had not dropped it, that it had exploded.  Thankfully, H.B. and Rory had witnessed the whole thing, and confirmed that it had indeed shattered in my hands…

I am thankful that there is a Bush’s close by.  I am thankful that all of the food I was preparing for today were either covered up or out of the range for taking on shrapnel. I am thankful that, once again, as I looked down at my feet and around me at the huge mess I had made, my family and friends were there to immediately start picking up the pieces. Everyone was fed…food was prepared…pies and cheesecake were baked…and it is Thanksgiving morning.

We are preparing to meet people from our church to deliver meals to shut ins in the community and we will come back here for our Thanksgiving meal…it might not be the best we have ever had; the pies and cakes could possibly be sub par…but it will be a blessed, happy event because at the end of the day we all love each other, we have food and we will have fun no matter what!

I am so thankful that I have a wild, fun, chaotic family that loves me no matter what mess I have dragged them into...which can be anything!

Hello World!!

Blogging…back burner past time for me since my 2^nd grandchild joined forces with the first and took custody of my free time…

Actually, in all honesty… summer freedom, Bible study, Bible reading, my family and all sorts of other events/issues/situations have loomed largest in my “spare” time robbing me of any free time to sit and write coherently, much less creatively. (And, as long as I am being honest- the time spent watching “our” t.v. shows with my hubby have definitely crept into my “creative writing” time…)

So…highlights since my blog for Mother’s Day…

My husband, with the help of my son, David, made me a garden for the summer… I have grown herbs, lettuce, peppers, cucumbers, okra, squash and tomatoes.  I have also helped raise a generation of rabbits with this garden, and according to my father-in-law, one large snake was spotted enjoying it. 

We spent a weekend in Lubbock enjoying much needed family time with my in-laws. 

We spent a week in Lubbock/Muleshoe celebrating my parents’ 50^th wedding anniversary with family and friends.

We spent a fun-filled weekend in Austin and at the Lake house with Bobby and Karen Luckett…we also got to go to San Antonio with them to celebrate Kevin’s (Luckett’s son-in-law) 30^th birthday…as well as enjoyed some R&R alone time.

I facilitated a Beth Moore Bible Study with some of my favorite women- Karen Luckett, Katie Schindler, Kaylenn Henderson, Katherine Stewart, Lynnsay Macey and Haley Brent.

I have been reading through the Bible with Prof. Horner’s Bible Reading System (I am on Day 175 of 250!!!) I have read three or four books on my Kindle! I have gotten more involved in our church. I have started a “cooking group” with my daughter and 2 others.

And work.And work.And work… Summer months are always our busiest; and God has really blessed our business which has been struggling for a while now…so as I told my employee this week, when we received an order and he made a face, “Do you not like money?  You don’t enjoy your paycheck? You do?  Then when I tell you we got an order, you say to me, ‘Thank you Jesus!’ That is all, just, ‘Thank you Jesus!’” And every time I create a new bid, or start a new job folder, I say, “Thank you Jesus!”

Summer turned to fall, and my life has continued to race at an amazing speed…We had an overnight visit from my Aunt Debbie and Uncle Paul, who is fresh out of cancer treatment, and looking very well, I might add! We have waited anxiously for football score updates every Friday night from the Shallowater Mustangs…and I am happy to say that we are still waiting for them as the Mustangs secured the District Champ titled and have now earned the Bi-District Champ one as well. We are so proud of our brother-in-law, Kyle Maxfield and his team of coaches and football players!

 A tragedy struck our family, when our 25 year old nephew, William van Zielst, died suddenly of heart failure last month.  Watching my incredible sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Katy and Maarten, live out their faith has been heart-wrenching and heartwarming all at the same time. They are an amazing family.  And the community they live in, Seminole, TX, has proven to come together and be the body of Christ for them.

I am now looking up and it is Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving!!!! YIKES! 

Today marks the one year anniversary of when we moved into our new home…a major change for us that has proven over and over to have been a major blessing.  Our lives look a little different today than they did on November 19, 2011…a little calmer, a little easier, and little less stressful. I have learned to trust more in my faith and less in my “gut feeling”.  I have learned to seek God first and depend upon my husband’s strength less- a lesson which I believe has taken pressure off of my husband’s shoulders while strengthening my faith.

The days are shorter, the weather cooler and the smell of the heater being turned on in the back of the shop all lead me to the conclusion that ready or not…the holiday season is here!!

Motherhood- The Best Job Ever

Mother’s Day- I realize the whole day is really just a marketing scheme, honestly probably supported by the flower/greeting card folks…but seriously- we have all been touched by at least one mom!  Our experiences with the women who fall into the group of “Mothers” can be as diverse as the women themselves. So, regardless of where you are in life or of whom you are- I know that Mother’s Day has some sort of effect on you. This day may be full of happiness and joy, sorrow and pain or simply just a bittersweet day as you reflect on memories, enjoy time with those you love, or just take a break from it all. 

I, personally, have been blessed to be surrounded by the best mother’s I know… my grandmothers, my aunts, my sister, my sister-in-laws, my nieces, my cousins, my friends…they have all touched my life as I have watched them care for their families and for me.

My own mother is an amazing woman.  As I write this, she is preparing to teach a Sunday School class at her church.  This is a job that she does not take lightly and I know that.  I have woken up in prayer for her today, as I know that she is probably nervous and begging the Holy Spirit to speak through her.  My mom has the heart of a servant and the strength of a soldier.  She is wise and compassionate.  She has always modeled a Godly wife, mother and grandmother for me, my brother, my sister and our spouses… our kids and now my grandchildren. I can laugh with her until we cry.  I can talk to her about any mistake I have made, and she will love me through it. I can vent out my own problems to her and she will give me good, solid advice. When I think about being a mother, I think about wanting to be like her. And now, as I watch my own children parent their babies, I want to be the type of grandmother that she has always been…I love you Mom!  You are a beautiful woman and an incredible gift to our family.

My mother-in-law is also an amazing woman.  She raised the most incredible boy to become the man that I have loved for 28 years. She seeks God and is a woman who models praying without ceasing.  As my own boys have become men, I have grown to love and respect her even more.  I have always known that she was a wonderful mother and mother-in-law- but now that I am dealing with significant others in my own son’s lives- I can see just how much she has always loved me unconditionally.  She listens to me when I cry and complain.  She sympathizes with me and shares in my pain.  She laughs with me over the smallest things. The love we have for her son has never been a threat to either of us…that love has always been a bond that has molded my heart to hers. And she too, has shown me by her actions how to be an incredible grandmother.  I love you Jean!  You are so special to all of us, and the best mother-in-law ever!

I also have the privilege of watching the mothers of my grandbabies…

Katherine, my daughter-in-love, and the mother of the most incredible little girl, Aubrey Blayce Crittenden, she came into my life and into my heart and has never ceased to amaze me.  She loves Aubrey without question and without ceasing.  She always puts Aubrey first.  Katherine has overcome many trials on her journey as a Mother- and she has overcome them with grace that can only come from the Lord. She works hard and has to be the most positive person I have ever been blessed to know. She is beautiful, inside and out.  I love you Katherine.  I am thankful God blessed our lives with you and with the wonderful life of our Noodle.

Lynnsay, my daughter and the mother of the most adorable baby boy, Hudson Brent Macey, she, like her brothers, are my heart and my joy.  Watching her carry the load of bearing Hudson has been a treat.  She has been the most incredible and beautiful pregnant woman I have ever seen.  Watching her grow into the role of “Mother” has been an indescribable blessing.  She fought to give birth to that 8 lb. 7oz. boy and over the last week she has learned to trust her instincts and fallen into the role of motherhood with style, grace and wisdom.  She and HB were at church with him when he was less than 72 hours old. I am so proud of her and of HB.  Lynnsay, I love you!  Happy FIRST Mother’s Day- you really are, as Katie said, a rock star! Thanks for working so hard to give us our Pistol!

Many years ago, I wrote the following in a scrap book:

A Wife and Mother

A wife and a mother- that is all I have ever really wanted to be…

I became a wife on November 9^th, 1984, when Cody Crittenden stood with me before God and our family so that we could commit our lives to each other. 

I was still two months away from my 20^th birthday, and Cody was eleven days shy of being 23.  We have grown up together.  Cody became a wonderful husband and I began to learn what being a wife really means.

I know God sent Cody to me.  I have had the joy of watching my husband give his life to Christ, and grow in a daily walk with the Lord.

I became a Mother for the first time on July 8, 1987 when Dr. Macey handed me the most beautiful baby boy I had ever seen… Jacob Matt Crittenden.  I loved him more than I ever thought possible.  Over the next few months I watched my wonderful husband become a great Daddy, and I began to learn what being a wife and mother really means!

I became a mother again on Jan. 31, 1989, when Dr. Baylor handed me the tiniest, most beautiful baby girl I had ever seen… Lynnsay Raegan Crittenden.  Cody and I went home with an 18 month old, and a newborn and two fish- I began to learn what being a wife and a mother really means.

On December 16, 1991, I suffered a miscarriage.  The loss was heavy in my heart and left me with a longing to hold a child I never will be able to this side of heaven.  The pain taught me a new lesson about what being a Mother really means.

On December 18, 1992, I became a Mother for the third time when Dr. Hagen handed me the smallest, most beautiful baby boy…David Glenn Crittenden.  Cody and I celebrated the birth of our Savior by praising Him for the safe arrival of our third child.

Three children and a wonderful husband! I am blessed by God! The four of them fill my life with joy, pride and tears.  I receive so much from each of them. I hurt when they hurt, laugh when they laugh and pray that God will protect them.  They are teaching me everyday what being a wife and mother really means!

            A wife and mother- that’s all I ever wanted to be!

                                                Marleea Crittenden 1994

Well, now, 18 years later, I am still learning what being a wife and a mother really means… and I have had the best moms in the world to show me the way…and now, I realize that being a wife, mother and grandmother…that is all I ever wanted to be!

Somewhere...

Last week my post was about firsts, lasts and middles…since then, we have been blessed by our first grandson’s safe arrival into the world.  He is my first grandson…but not my first grandbaby- that position belongs to Miss Aubrey Blayce… and I hope Mr. Hudson Brent Macey is not my last grandbaby.

Many years ago, I wrote a children’s book about “first, last and somewhere in the middle…” While the story is based upon my own three children… the idea was formed when I heard a story about another middle child in our family who, the day his older brother went to school for the first time and he found his mom teary eyed, asked his mom if she wished that she only had his older brother and his baby sister for kids… He was only 3 years old and was struggling with his position in the family…and it made me wonder how kids really do deal with the whole birth order… I am the oldest in our family, and I always felt like I was in charge of my younger brother and sister…obviously I was not…however, now as an adult, I still feel like it is my job to “take care” of them. (and basically everyone else in my life as well)

At the time when I heard this story, I was only the mother of two… but a couple of years later, I had our third child and I began to watch how my children each reacted to their positions in the family. I know there are a bazillion books written about birth order and the effects of it…and I admit, I have never read a single one of them…(although I have heard all about most of the theories over the years) I can say, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that after watching my children grow up, and looking at the differences in me and my siblings and my parents and their siblings as well as just looking around at the families God has placed in my life- I can’t see that any of them follow a certain “hard rule trend” that is dependent on their birthing order. I do believe that God creates each of us with complete uniqueness… and I believe that not only the birthing order, but also the family and the surrounding situations help to mold that uniqueness into the person God has created us to be…

That being said, I also believe that children do struggle to figure out their position in the pecking order of the family… I have watched my own three children as they competed for something that was already theirs from birth…mine and their daddy’s unconditional love and acceptance- both of which has absolutely nothing to do with what they have  or have not done or accomplished; both of which has nothing to do with whether they are the first, the last or somewhere in the middle; both of which we had no control over- we never had a choice nor a decision to make that granted them our love and acceptance… it was an uncontrollable force that began as soon as they were conceived… a force that is unexplainable, and yet unchangeable…

I want to share my children’s story with you…and I hope you enjoy it.  I have to say that I am not the middle child, and I am not the youngest in my family…I am the oldest- and as the oldest, I know that we have a tendency to feel lost sometimes as well…I hope that as you read this story the message I am trying to convey- unconditional love and acceptance, no matter what- is conveyed…

Let me know what you think!

Somewhere in the Middle

By Marleea Crittenden, 1996

Mary Catherine was stuck between two boys, not the oldest and not the youngest, just somewhere in the middle.  And sometimes she felt a little bit lost.

          The position of oldest belonged to her brother, Jonathan.  He was eight years old and in second grade.  Mary Catherine was six years old and in first grade.

          Mary Catherine Cook was not the youngest in her family either.  That position belonged to her little brother, Baby Peter Thomas.  Everyone still called him Baby Peter, even though he was 2 years old and learning to speak in complete sentences. 

                   Mary Catherine loved doing things with her Mommy.  But there were many times when Mary Catherine would come up with something fun for her and Mommy to do together, and Mommy would say, “I am sorry Miss Mary, you will have to wait until I finish helping Jonathan with his homework.”

          Or sometimes she would say, “Not right now, Mary Catherine, I promised Jonathan that I would play baseball with him.”

          Then there were other times when Mommy would also say, “I will do that with you as soon as I finish reading Baby Peter a story.” Or, “Mary Catherine, I am trying to bathe Peter Thomas, so I can not read with you right now.  But I will in a little while.”

          This would make Mary Catherine sad.  And sometimes it made Mary Catherine mad at her brothers.

          One afternoon she came running into the house looking for Mommy.  Mary Catherine was hoping to bake cookies, but when she found Mommy, she was reading Peter Thomas a book.  Mary Catherine interrupted the story, “Can we make cookies Mommy?”

          “Hey, we weading!” Peter Thomas said.

          “Mary Catherine, we are reading a story right now. I just don’t have enough time to help you bake cookies today.  But, if you would like, you can have a snack. And you can help me cook dinner later.”

          “I just want to bake cookies,” Mary Catherine replied with a disappointed sigh.

          “I am sorry Miss Mary.  But we just can’t today.  I’m going to finish this story, and then Jonathan is waiting on me to help him with his homework.”

          Peter Thomas was sitting in Mommy’s lap sucking his thumb, patiently waiting for her to continue with the story.  Suddenly, Mary Catherine yanked Peter’s thumb out of his mouth.  “You need to stop sucking your thumb,” she said, “your teeth are going to be crooked.”

          Beginning to whine, Baby Peter yelled, “No! Teef not cricket!” And with that, he plugged his thumb back into his mouth.

          “Not ‘cricket’, it’s ‘crook-ed’!”  Mary Catherine pronounced the word slowly and clearly.  “Crickets are little black bugs,” she added. 

          This somehow got his attention, and he began to whale “Mommy! Mawy Caf say teef are bwack bugs…not yike bugs!”

          “I did not! You should learn to talk right too…”

           “Mary Catherine!” her mommy exclaimed.  “What in the world is wrong with you?  I think you better go to your room and think for a while.  I will be in there to talk with you when I am finished with your brothers.”

          Mary Catherine sat on her bed feeling very sorry for herself.  She began to cry, and talk to her favorite doll, Elizabeth.  “I don’t know why I was so mean to Baby Peter.  I’m just sad.”

          Mommy came into her room.  “Mary Catherine, have you thought about what is wrong?”

          “Yes Mommy,” Mary Catherine sighed, “I just want to do something special with you.  We don’t get to do special things together very much.”

          “Oh, so that is it,” Mommy said.  “Well, I think you should go and apologize to Peter Thomas.  I do not think you were really mad him.”

          “Yes ma’am. I was a little mean,” Mary Catherine said. 

          “He is in his room playing with the blocks.  After you finish with him, come to the kitchen to talk with me,” Mommy said.

          Mary Catherine apologized to Baby Peter, gave him a kiss, and made him giggle by tickling him.  She then went to the kitchen where she saw that Mommy had set the table for a tea party

          “Would you like to join me for tea?” Mommy asked.

          When Mary Catherine sat down, she saw that they were really having Oreo’s and milk, but that was great with her.  She loved Oreo’s.

          Mommy served Mary Catherine cookies and milk, and they both began to eat.  Mary Catherine ate each cookie the same way.  She carefully pulled apart the cookies to expose the creamy, sugary filling.  Only after she had completely eaten the cream filling, did Mary Catherine pop the crunchy, chocolate cookies into her mouth.

          “Where is Jonathan?” Mary Catherine asked.

          “He is practicing his spelling words,” Mommy answered.

          “Do you love Jonathan because he is your first baby?”  Mary Catherine asked.

          “Well, I love Jonathan, and I am glad he is my first baby,” Mommy said.  “Jonathan teaches me how to be a better mother, and that makes things easier with you and Baby Peter!”  Mommy said with a smile

          “You love Peter Thomas a lot too, don’t you?  Are you glad that he is your last baby?”  As Mary Catherine talked, she continued her routine with the cookies, first eating the cream filling, and then the cookie.

          “I do love Baby Peter a lot.  And I am glad he is the last baby.  He makes our family laugh a lot doesn’t he?”  Mommy was smiling at Mary Catherine.

          No one said anything for a little while.  They both just ate cookies and drank milk.  Then Mommy said, “But you want to know something else my little Miss Mary Catherine?”

          “What?” 

          “I love you, too, just as much as I love the boys.”  As Mommy was talking, she too was pulling apart her Oreo’s to expose the sweet, creamy middle.

          “But I am not the oldest, and I am not the youngest,” Mary Catherine said.

          “No, you are not.  You are the middle baby.  You are the cream filling, just like this.”  Mommy held up her cookie to show Mary Catherine the yummy, white center.  “You are the soft, sugary part that holds the two chocolate cookies together.  You make the boys more than just a couple of crunchy cookies.  With you, we have Oreo’s!”  Mommy smiled and popped a whole cookie into her mouth.

          Mommy picked up the last cookie, and took a bite out of it.  “See, I love the whole Oreo cookie.  But it takes all three parts to make it an Oreo. Just like it takes Jonathan, you and Baby  Peter to make our family whole. I do not know where my love for one of you ends, and for the other begins, I just know that having all three of you is God’s sweetest blessing.”

          Mary Catherine was suddenly very happy, and she gave her mommy a big hug.  “I love you Mommy.”

          Mary Catherine Cook was not the oldest in her family, and she was not the youngest.