End of a Decade

WOW! 365 days have passed again; coupled with 10 years.

This year has been filled with both joys and sorrows. One cousin had a baby and another cousin went home to be with Jesus.

I started my doctoral program and secured an adjunct faculty position.

Tyler is busy and growing.

NyCee is big and inquisitive.

So much in my life has changed for the positive. I have the privilege of living where I want to live. I have a great church with wonderful friends. I have the honor of serving Pastor Dionne Arceneaux as she oversees six (6) ministries which has contributed to my spiritual growth.

This night closes not only a year but a decade. During this decade, I got married, had two children, got divorced, completed two (2) college degrees, moved back home to Phoenix, began working on a doctorate degree and secured a faculty position. Amazing how much can be squeezed into such a small spans of time.

I am looking forward to 2010 with great expectation. As you close out this night and decade, set high expectations for the new year. Break out of routine. Kick mundane to the curb. Life is meant to be enjoyed. It took me way too long to figure that out. I embrace everyday with high expectation. Prayers will be manifested. Doors will be opened. Spiritual knowledge will increase.

Happy Exciting, Prosperous, Blessed New Year!


3 “ I have declared the former things from the beginning;
They went forth from My mouth, and I caused them to hear it.
Suddenly I did them, and they came to pass."
Isaiah 48:3

Snow Day

Just a couple pictures of the kids playing in the snow.

Of all four kids, Tyler had the most fun.

Winterized

The kids are going to the zoo in the morning for a "snow day."

No, it is not snowing in Mesa, AZ. The zoo creates snow by blowing shaved ice and the kids play in it. So, to get prepared, I had to go to Target and find "winter gear" at the end of winter.

NyCee wanted the purple Tinkerbell set which does not match her pink coat (not shown in the picture). And Tyler wanted the McQueen car hat which does not match his blue jacket. So goes the need for my children to match on all occasions.

BFFs Cruisin' Along

Olivia received a Princess Barbie Car for Christmas. Apparently, she and NyCee have enjoyed cruising around Lorie's backyard.

I am sure when spring comes, they will venture out a little farther.

Replacement

Earlier today, Tyler lost his Thomas the train inside the Fry's grocery market. Like any good mother, I attempted to retrace my steps in an effort to find it. Because I was talking on the phone, I didn't hear it drop. Normally, he would whine until I picked it up but he was engrossed in the box of cereal just placed in the basket.

Tonight, again like any good mother, I went to Target in an attempt to purchase another Thomas the train. I didn't want the whole set because he doesn't play with the tracks. I just wanted the train. But nothing, nada, zilch. So, I had a God-idea. Let's get him a McQueen car and see how he likes it.


From the looks of things, I think we can all agree this was a good choice.

Tight Grip

For Christmas, my parents bought Little Fred a Thomas the Train - train set. It included tracks and other parts in addition to just the train itself.

Little Fred has had a grip on his Thomas the train all day. When riding his bike, playing with his cars, jumping on his sister, napping etc. The train piece has not left his hands. At one point, he dropped it on the side of his bed and whined until I was able to locate it and give it back.

Why would bedtime be any different?

Heck, I could have saved my parents some money and just spent $5 on the train piece instead of the entire set.

Christmas 2009 AM and PM

Well, the kids had a very Merry Christmas. NyCee woke up about 4:00a and walked into my room saying, "Mommy, come see the toys."

The morning didn't officially begin until later. Around 7a. And I didn't let her play with any toys until her brother was awake.


They spent the day playing with toys and chasing each other.





All the pictures above represent how the house looked in the AM.

PM Pictures

Yes, the tree is down and put away. Normally, it would have stayed up until New Year's day. However, I have to prepare for my first teaching class next week. The class has to be completely prepped and ready to go on 01/01/10. The class was not loaded onto my log-in screen Wednesday which means I lost four days of prep time.

After dinner the kids enjoyed S'mores. It was a very quiet and Merry Christmas.

**For the first time in his 20 months of life, Tyler spent the ENTIRE day in pajamas. He was the only one. NyCee and I had on lounge around the house clothes.**

I realized I have a very blessed life. Although, raising two kids alone is not my ideal situation. God has been very good to me and has wonderful things in store. Men who want to take on a woman with two small kids are not readily found. But God will make sure that I have the one who will love us. Overall, it was a very good day. The hardest part of the day was not having anyone, save the kids, to share it with. But this time is for me to grow in God and get prepared. So I embrace it and know it only for a season.

Merry Christmas to all!!

Christmas Eve 2009

Today was a busy day. I attended Candle Light Service which was awesome. The string quartet was wonderful.

After candlelight service and a baby sitting event which involved five (5) children all 4 years of age and younger, the kids and I went to a co-worker's home for dinner. She has two small boys who are so cute. When we completed dinner, we went for a walk through her neighbor to see Christmas Lights. It was quite the displace.

NyCee and Tyler did a great job and Maria's husband commented about how well-mannered and polite the kids were.

Now, the children are nestled and snug in their beds. Neither one of them had a real nap tonight so they are pooped.

Time to make S'mores for Santa.

Little Old Man

I walked into the kids' room and saw Tyler sleeping in the upright position.

It was especially funny to watch as he nodded he would bounce back into the upright position. One time he nearly fell all the way over but pulled himself back upright.

Assignment Granted

I completed my instructor certification course and was given great reviews by my facilitator. As a result, I am now an adjunct faculty member with Colorado State University - Global Campus. I am very excited because this is the first step towards becoming a full-time faculty member - my heart's desire.

As I have written in times past, I am not the stay-at-home mom type of gal. But teaching provides the flexibility I miss. 2010 is going to be a super awesome year!


May I humbly request your continued prayers for my cousin Melvin and his children. As you know, Cari, Melvin's beautiful wife,went home to be with Jesus earlier this year. This is the first Christmas he and the children will spend without her. Every day is hard for him. I am sure he has both good days and bad. But the holidays are just a little harder when the love of your life is not there to share the moments. Thank you for your continued prayers for Melvin, Cameron, Max, and Ella.

Christmas Princess 2009

NyCee has gotten to the place where she does not like to go to church on Sunday without wearing a princess dress. This morning, I was wearing a jean skirt and she politely told me, "Mom, I don't want to wear jeans like this one (pointing to my skirt). I want to wear my princess dress."

Thankfully, her Nana Ida sent her a dress for Christmas. Otherwise, she will be rotating through the same three dresses until Spring. She has several dresses but only three of them allow for a turtle neck underneath to help keep her warm.

Princess and the Prince

NyCee and Tyler were playing a game titled "Princess and the Prince." Apparently, this is something she made up. That is a good thing. I do not let the kids watch TV all day on the weekends. There are times when they just play in their room.

As they were playing, I looked down and noticed Tyler wearing a pair of NyCee's blue princess slippers. I started to take a picture and post it on the blog. But then I decided to spare my father and grandfather the scene of seeing Tyler in a pair of blue princess shoes. Somehow, I get the feeling they would not find it as funny and cute as I did.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Impromptu Christmas Show

NyCee's dance class had an impromptu Christmas show this afternoon. The girls looked so cute dancing around. They performed routines using tap, tumble, and ballet.

Cleanliness is next to Godliness..so they say

"Mommy, may you turn on the water please."

As I wake up in a bit of a haze. I glance at the clock and it reads 4:23a.

"Yes, punkin. I'm coming."

While I am so proud of her for not having a nighttime accident and for remembering to wash her hands after using the potty, I have to teach her how to turn on the water herself, so that the entire process can be completed without me. Especially at 4:23a.

Teachable Christmas Tree

In keeping with family tradition, I was up until 2a putting up the Christmas tree. As a child, we put up the Christmas Tree the weekend of my dad's and sister's birthdays. My nephew is in that mix now.

But I cannot blame all of it on putting up the tree. I was catching up on episodes of my guilty pleasures "Grey's Anatomy" and "Private Practice." But I have been debating for the past several days about how to decorate the tree. Last year, Little Fred was not mobile so NyCee and I fully decorated it. This year, mobile is not a sufficient word for my son.

This morning, NyCee was very excited to see the tree in the living room. I spent the better part of the morning saying, "No son. Do not touch the tree Tyler. Son, back away" while moving him away from the tree.

At some point in the day, I walked out to the living room only to find Little Fred pulling a strand of the garland beads towards their room. Now, the tree is loop-sided with poorly hung garland.

In an effort to keep me from getting upset, I decided this year the tree would be the teachable tree. This is the tree that will be used to teach what things can and cannot be touched. Once the gifts are under the tree, then he will be distracted.

NyCee likes the lights. She walked into my bedroom and proclaimed, "Mommy, I pulled out the white thing (child safety plug) and plugged in the Christmas Tree for Santa." There are so many things wrong with that statement I don't know where to begin. While I thanked her for being such a big helper, we had a little chitty-chat about plugs.

For now: no GLASS bulbs or shiny icicles will be added. Maybe I will add some candy canes for them.

Countrified

May someone please explain to my son that neurosurgeons do not put their feet up on the table, lean back their heads, and drink a cup of milk in darn near one gulp.

Bedtime Kisses

2009 AKA Fashionetta

This morning I attended a breakfast and fashion show for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. I was one of the guests of Dr. Victoria Jones (to my left as you are looking at the photo.) The other women, in this photo, work at Apollo Group also. The fashion show was very exciting as the commentator was jovial and humorous. We were seated at Table number 1 which was right next to the model's runway. The clothes were amazing.

It was nice to attend an adult function this morning. I will do that more often.

Exciting, Exciting, Exciting

So today, I had an interview for an adjunct faculty position and was offered the job. I am so excited. It is for an online teaching position. Although I have not taught collegiate level courses, being an online student played to my advantage. I understand the challenges of being a working adult student.

The beauty of this, classes are 8 weeks long and I will only teach 3 courses a year because the school does not offer a summer session. That is perfect because I do not want to be overwhelmed. The purpose of the job is two-fold: 1) My experience has to match or should closely match my level of education. Therefore, by the time I graduate, I will have enough teaching experience where I can easily transition to full-time faculty. Additionally, with a terminal degree, I will be able to teach courses on any level.
2)With the 2nd job, I can be completely debt free in 24 months. Including my student loans. That is awesome!

Now, I know people are going to attempt to worry about me and wonder if I am getting any rest. Actually, do you know I have had some of the best sleep in the past week than I have had in a long time? I do not allow myself to get stressed out. I am very good about monitoring my time.

And yes, I have a personal life. I hang out on Saturdays with friends (no man yet Grandma Martha - soon - hahahahaha). But I have a well balanced life.

Well, that is the update for this week. We have a busy day tomorrow.

Methodology

I am not clear as to why Little Fred felt the need to pour the water onto the table and then suck it up. But I am sure in his mind, there was a reason.

Ms. Moustache

Under NyCee's nose is raw from wiping it so many times a day that it created a moustache.


We were supposed to take Christmas pictures tomorrow - not gonna happen. I will not send out pictures of my beautiful little girl with a moustache.

Happy Thanksgiving

Nana Ida arrived Tuesday evening to the smiles of her two beautiful grandchildren. One year had passed since she last saw the kids. She was amazed how NyCee's vocabulary has expanded and how much Little Fred has grown. Her first night here, she gave him a bath and did not put him in the crib, he took off running butt naked through the apartment.

We spent thanksgiving evening with Maxine and her family. It was a nice quiet dinner. We were not there very long just enough to enjoy dinner with friends and socialize.

Tomorrow, we am going to brave the malls. I usually stay far away from stores on Black Friday but I need to look for a dress for Christmas Eve Candlelight Service.

Remember: Being thankful for everything helps you to not worry about anything.

If I ever....

A co-worker told me if I ever wanted to date again, I should never wear socks that resemble these:

According to Greg, there is nothing attractive about my socks. I explained to Greg, I am not trying to be attractive. I am trying to keep my feet warm.

Of course that explanation did not go over well considering I was wearing the socks at work.

What happens when you have an older sister...

You are subjected to play dress-up with her dress up items whether you want to or not.

Toliet Water Boy

"Mommy, I was calling you because buddy was playing in the toliet and he put his shoes in there."

I proceed to walk in the bathroom only to find my hair brush and my son's hands in the toliet. Thankfully, I cleaned the house earlier today. But that is still nasty on like 15 different levels.

"It's the toliet son!"

Nothing to tell

Nothing exciting has been going on out here in the valley of the sun. Just the daily routine of life for us. School work for me, swimming and dance class for NyCee, rough and tough play for Little Fred and of course, ministry service.

I am like WOW, Thanksgiving is next week! Where did the year go? I tell you, it is a blur for me. Just one more reason I am working so diligently to finish school. I am going to start working towards securing a teaching position. This is what people mean when they say "I looked up and my child was 12 years old." or "I looked up one day and he/she was getting married." I don't want my children's childhood to be a blur to me and I was not apart of it.

3 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

James 4:13-14 NKJV

Life is meant to be enjoyed. If you try, you can find a reason to celebrate each day.

Last week was busy...

So, Faith Explosion (FX09) kicked off Thursday night. The speaker was Jesse Duplantis. The place was packed. Jesse teaches in a practical, humorous manner which draws people to his meetings. I was not in the sanctuary as I was working the foyer. Dionne had to oversee the seating in the sanctuary of the guest pastors so that left me to oversee the greeters' and 1st time visitors' ministries. It was cool. She knew I could be trusted with the task and I made her look good. Which made Drs. Tom and Maureen Anderson look good. Which makes God look good. That is what serving is all about.

I did manage to find time to break down Little Fred's high chair. It was time for him -way past time actually- for him to transition to a booster chair. He had to feel it out but he's good in it. He has not been throwing food or his cup lately which is a good thing.

NyCee has learned the art of negotiation. Tonight, she asked for Nilla Wafers, mommy's guilt pleasure, before bed. I have been working with her to understand when she is told "No" that is it and not to continue asking. As I stated, I am working on this. First, she asked for Nilla Wafers (notice the "s"). Then, she dropped that down to one (1) Nilla Wafer to help her sleep. The answer, still a resounding "No."

I have no idea where she gets her negotiation skills.

As for me, back to the books as I have an assignment due tomorrow. Probably should do some research to write the paper. But I will get it done. Always do.

Perfect Morning

The kids have been doing a great job of cooperating in the mornings. After each one has had his/her face washed and teeth brushed, we put on shoes and jackets. NyCee, of course, knows how to put on her own shoes. But Tyler has been doing a great job of going to the closet to get his shoes and bringing them to me.

After that is completed, the kids get a little cup of cereal for the drive to their care giver's home. It was so great to see them each wait patiently for their cereal cup and then proceed to the door. I really do have the best kids in the world.

Tyler even kept his hat on his head instead of removing it instantly. Of course by the time we arrived at Lorie's, he removed it.

Whole Names

Lately, Taylor has taken a liking to using Tyler's whole name. They were playing in their room and I heard, "Frederick Tyler Thompson, what are you doing my son?"

Or if Tyler is whining she'll say, "Frederick Tyler we are Thompsons and we are happy people. No whining. Right mom?"

She obviously gets that from me as I have to remind my children very often when they get fussy - that we are Thompsons and we are happy people. Whining is not allowed.

Lately, my personal favorite has been when she addresses him as "son." "Son, what are you doing?" "Son, where are your shoes?" "Son, mommy is calling you."

I wish I could record some of the things NyCee says. It is priceless.

Cuddly Critters

We spent the night at harvest festival. It was fun. NyCee played in the bounce houses and Tyler just rode around in the stroller.


The kids had a good time.

**side note** Most of the country changes time tonight. Arizona does not honor daylight savings time. So, if you are on the east coast, the time difference is two hours. If you are in the central time zone, it is one hour.

Cold Snap

Contrary to popular belief, it does get cold here in Phoenix. The past two days have been in the low 50s. It was so cold that I turned on the heat to knock off the chill in the house.

Of course tomorrow and the rest of next week, it will be 85 degrees or higher.

God In Me

Mary Mary has a song on their latest CD titled, "God in Me." Part of the lyrics are:

Your so fly your so high
Everybody around you trying to figure out why
Your so cool you win all the time
Everywhere you go man you get a lot of shine
You draw like a magnet better yet I have it
Everything you wear people say they got have it
From the sweat suit to the white tee to the Gucci
You can probably say people wanna get like me

But what they don't know is when you go home
And get behind closed doors man you hit the floor
And what they can't see is your on your knees
So the next time you get it just tell em

It's the God in me

Nevermore have those words rang so true in my life. This week has been pretty awesome. I think about how much I have grown in God and how He has developed me during my journey. I use to be very task-focused. I was always a good employee but not a good person. I thought the way to get to the top was to step on people along the way. But Jesus stated, "The son of man did not come to be served but to serve" (Matt 28:20). That is a powerful concept that I have begun to employ in my every day life.

This week, I have received several emails about my customer service and how appreciative people are of my willingness to help them. Some of the emails went straight to my manager. But today was the icing on the cake. I received a dozen white roses from one of the directors at the Dallas, TX location.



Let me clarify before my Grandma Martha gets all excited. (She has been encouraging me to get out and begin dating again. I will Grandma Martha. I promise.) The flowers were from the leadership team at the six locations attached to the central location. Mikal wrote me an email which read, "Everyone has nothing but nice things to say about you. I wanted you to know how special you are and how much we appreciate you." I have never had anyone say such awesome things about my service to them. Probably because I was so funky and mean, people only dealt with me because they had to.

I thought about my old boss, Allie Rue, and how she would smile had she been able to read the wonderful emails I have received this week. It is a complete 180 from the person I use to be. But it's not me. Rather, the God in me. God is amazing. When I stopped focusing on myself and started being people-focused, God made my service known publicly.

I am not a person that likes a lot of fluff and fairies. My mentor, Dionne, makes public acknowledgement of how I serve her all the time and it's quite embarrassing. I just do what God wants me to do with the right heart. I am not looking for recognition or fanfare. But because I don't look for it, God makes sure it happens.

Galatians 6:9 (Contemporary English Version)

"Don't get tired of helping others. You will be rewarded when the time is right, if you don't give up."

Simplifying

In preparation for the upcoming months, I have begun to find ways to simplify my life. What I have realized is single parenting (although NOT God's plan) is a test of time management. My life is not hard, per se. It does require me to be a good steward over time.

Due to my children's ages, they are unable to actively contribute to the household. Meaning, completing chores, etc. Therefore, I have to do it all. While living with my parents, we used paper plates during the week and dishes on Sundays. That is what I have started doing. I would spend an hour every night washing the dishes. Add to that laundry, ironing, cleaning, school work, etc.

In January, my plan is to work a second job teaching online courses. Now, before you get all up in arms. (I can already here my grandparents in Alabama tell me I don't need to that. Just like my father when I told him the plan.) Please read this with an open mind.

Children need you at any age. However, they will need me more the older they get. Right now, I control their sphere of influence. I control their friends and where they go. As they get older and get in school, they will have outside influences and will have to make decision about whether or not they will follow God's design for their lives. That is when they will really need me.

I am the only parent they currently have. (As no one has yet recognized my fabnificentness.) I cannot miss every dance recital, swim meet, etc all in the name of working. A person will work hard at some point in life. Society has it backwards. It plays and goofs off young and then ends up working at 70, 80 years old because so many years were wasted. I would rather work hard at 35 than 65.

Besides, it's only 36 months. I will work two jobs to pay off my student loans. By the time I graduate with my doctorate, I will be completely debt free and have a great start on investments. NyCee will be in 1st grade. I am getting a doctorate so that I can teach which will allow flexibility in my schedule. I am not the traditional stay-at-home mom type of gal. But I do want to be home by the time my husband and children get home from school. Yet, I do not want to be home baking 4th of July cookies. Best of both worlds. But it is going to take some hard work.

I take care of my body. I eat healthy foods. The kids and I do not eat at lot sugar or fast foods. And I do rest contrary to popular belief. This 36 month journey will be for my family. And with God's grace, I will successfully run this portion of my race.

I thought of it in this context, how many hours would I spend watching TV a week if I weren't working and in school? On average, a person can spend 15 hours a week watching TV. And that is just Monday - Friday. If I put that time to use, God will redeem my time and reward my faithfulness.

Hebrews 11:6 (New Living Translation)

6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

Preview

Last night, we went to the mall to get NyCee's lady bug costume. Well, that's not exactly true. I started looking for it last week. The first one I found was $30 and would have made her look like Madame Lady Bug. When I thought of letting her be a ladybug, my vision was not whore lady bug.

Thankfully, I found part of the lady bug costume for 1/2 off and I just have to finish the bottom.

And Tyler, will be a cuddly little frog. Harvest Festival is going to be so fun.

Just catching up

For the past few months, I have been trying to figure out if Tyler is a southpaw like his two aunts or not. I thought I figured it out tonight. He was eating his applesauce with the spoon in his left hand. Not 2 minutes after I took this picture, he switched the spoon to his right hand.


Nothing excitingly fabnificent has been going on with the Thompsons in the Valley of the Sun. The weather has been cooling off very nicely. The mornings are cold. This morning it was 58 degrees. But, the afternoons are generally around 85ish or so. The sky has been a beautiful light blue with just a few wisps of clouds draped against its backdrop.

We are preparing for Harvest Festival. I have Tyler's costume but I need to find NyCee's. I went to one store but I refused to pay $30 for a child's costume that she will wear one time. I have to find some time to pick it up this Saturday. Tyler has a hair cut in the morning, I need to grocery shop, and I was asked to volunteer at my church for about 2.5 hours before Saturday night service. Normally, I would go shopping Saturday night but I have ministry obligations to attend to. Thankfully, we are not down to sugar and ketchup but I just have to find the time. Oh and did I mention I have to get my oil changed? Wow, God give me the grace to do everything I need to do. In Jesus' Name!

No She Didn't

Around 1200a, Little Fred thought it would be a good idea to wake up crying. Why? I haven't a clue. But what's funny, is NyCee, who normally sleeps through almost anything, woke up as well. I heard her get out of bed, close the bedroom door, proceed to my room, climb in my bed and exclaim, "Mommy, I need to sleep in your room because buddy is crying and I can't sleep. I closed the door Mom."

She politely pulled up the covers and went back to sleep. WOW!

Things Removed

So lately, little Ms. Taylor has kicked up her game a notch. She has been testing the waters a little more than usual. No worries, this is why God gave mommies the one up. A couple of days ago, she thought it would be a good idea to tear pages out of her books. So I took away all the books for one day. Now, after reading time, she neatly stacks the books on the shelf.

She gets her hair combed on Tuesday nights because she has swimming class Tuesday mornings. Normally, I will let her watch a TV program while I comb her hair. Well, she chose to have a tantrum when I told her a particular program was off limits. I turned off the television. She then proceeded to cry even more. After a few minutes, she calmed down and asked if she could watch TV because she stopped having a tantrum. I replied, "No, you may not." And the TV remained in the off position.

Now, I know some of you are reading this and thinking, "Dayna, she is only three." Yeah no. NyCee is old enough to understand there are consequences for actions. If I started making excuses today for tantrums, then the excuses will continue when she is a teenager. My philosophy: little child, little problem. Big child, bigger problems.

Pumpkin Farm

We spent part of the morning at the pumpkin farm. This picture was actually taken as we were leaving, hence the long face on my daughter.

They decorated pumpkins,

That were selected from the pumpkin "patch." Notice the word "patch" is in quotations as it is used loosely. It was more of a patch of grass with pumpkins spread out for the kids' selection.


Little Fred and NyCee both enjoyed the hay maze.




Little Fred is not tall enough to stick his head through the animal cut out, but he stood on his toes and tried to peek through.

Now I just have to figure out what to do with the pumpkins they decorated.