"Even our own lives testify to the evidence of God" - Geoff Moore

Imagine your child walking around outside, doing nothing suspicious in the least. Now imagine that a police officer came up, grabbed your child, put them against their police car, and pat them down without so much as asking your permission. Then, when you ask what is going on, and why did you just do that to my child, imagine the officer saying, "It's just a random inspection, for your safety".

Picture this: A police officer comes to your door, and tells you that your home will now be searched. He has no  warrant and no probable cause. If you ask why your home was "chosen at random", or if you cite the fact that you have constitutionally protected rights that prevent him from doing this search, he immediately calls for backup, pins you down, and a group of officers ransack your home. You are left shaken, humiliated, possibly sore from being rough-handled, and left with your personal effects in disarray.

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Maybe it's intuition
but some things you just don't question
Like in your eyes, I see my future in an instant
And there it goes,
I think I found my best friend
I know that it might sound
more than a little crazy
but I believe...

I knew I loved you before I met you
I think I dreamed you into life
I knew I loved you before I met you
I have been waiting all my life

There's just no rhyme or reason
Only the sense of completion
And in your eyes, I see
the missing pieces I'm searching for
I think I've found my way home
I know that it might sound
more than a little crazy
but I believe...

I knew I loved you before I met you
I think I dreamed you into life
I knew I loved you before I met you
I have been waiting all my life

Lord, Reign In Me - Brenton Brown - Pandora Internet Radio
(Via AddThis)

So, it's been in the triple digits this week. With no air... we're all pretty miserable.

Last night, I just couldn't BREATHE, so I couldn't sleep. I tried so hard, and wanted to sleep so badly, but I only got about an hour and a half. Cayden knows how I feel, because he's been tired, but too hot to nap comfortably, so he hasn't been napping.

Today, he was just too exhausted, and finally, he gave in to a very late nap. Finally, I could get a little more sleep.

Of course, Brent came home right then for "an hour". Apparently he has to work late tonight, and maybe tomorrow, when yesterday he told me that they said that last night was the only late night this week. In that time, Brent wakes me up 4 times, all for stupid things, leaves a sink-full of dishes for me to wash, and then wakes up Cayden on his way out.

... *SIGH*. He's all apologetic, and didn't mean to wake Cayden, but the situation still sucks. Cayden and I really needed sleep. But nope, we're both up now, and Brent's gone again.

Tomorrow is my appointment. Maybe I'll manage to get a good ultrasound pic for you all.

That any person in a political office that is publicly and actively opposed any part of the Constitution or the Bill of Rights be fired immediately, without pension. It's suppose to be the backbone of our nation and all of it's laws, and people are chipping away at it. The language it's written in is very clear. The opinions of judges and politicians shouldn't be able to touch it. And the fact that we are letting them is ridiculous. Our founding fathers fought and died for these rights... rights they believed that belonged to everyone, rights given by God... and we're letting people strip them away and put up illegal restrictions.

I'm sick of reading about people using their first amendment rights and being arrested for it. I'm sick of hearing that you need a "permit" to speak in a public place. I'm sick of hearing people try to say that the 2nd amendment is for hunting, when it's clearly for a militia. I'm sick of judges and juries assuming that people who "plead the 5th" are guilty, and then treating them that way. I'm sick of illegal searches and seizures (police need to learn the law). I'm sick of the president thinking that it's ok to have American citizens assassinated without even a trial. I'm sick of the idea of "State's Rights" being ignored and turned over.

And you should be sick of it, too. And we should be doing more about this.

Wow. What a long and exhausting day!

So, I mentioned on FB that today was the Marine Corps Ball Gown Giveaway. This is a great event, because people donate their ball dresses, and everyone sees if they can find one to wear for the ball for free. We're talking $100-500 dresses. Today had about 2400 dresses for about 550 women, and everyone could pick up to two dresses. What doesn't get picked this time goes to the regional giveaway.

All that, and I couldn't find anything for myself.

They had no maternity whatsoever, and by the time they got to me (#396), they were down to slim pickings in my size with one small rack left. Some sizes still had 5-6 full racks.  :(  Anyway, from what was there, there was nothing that could pass for maternity, and nothing bigger that could be fitted to me. I would have gone for hot pink polka dots if it worked out, but nope. A volunteer convinced me to get a dress anyway that could at least be used for next year. It fits RIGHT NOW, but it certainly won't come November.

On the good side, I made two friends in all of this!

Oh, did I mention that I was there for about 6 hours? That's plenty of time to get to know who's next to you in line!

Then, after a short break at home, Brent and I went to look at some 3-bedroom houses on base. Cayden had a BLAST doing that. We visited 4 big, empty, new places that he got to fully explore. Every cabinet, drawer, door, and closet was opened and explored.

We REALLY liked one home in particular. It's 3 bedrooms, fully renovated (ours is FAR from that), with new counters, appliances, floors, etc. It had easily double the closet space, and 2.5 bathrooms (we have 1.5). It's also closer to Brent's work, and has a PX (convenience store) right in the neighborhood. So, bigger, newer, and better than where we are now... and get this: we'd also get $350 BACK from our housing allowance every month, when we get nothing back now!

Problem there that we didn't know about: They allow dogs, but not cats. That's not something we considered. Usually the accept both, neither, or CATS only. Apparently, this place's water in the ditches will kill cats or something. People sneak their cats in all the time, and that's what Brent wants to do, but I just don't feel right doing that. Plus, what if Kiba got out? Or what if he peed on the floor (he has before, but it wasn't his fault. He was locked in a closet accidentally).

We liked one other we saw today (and we have another left to check, but we were tired, so we'll go next weekend), and it's also pretty awesome. The bedrooms are much bigger, there's more play space downstairs for Cayden, the kitchen is HUGE, more bathrooms, a 2 car garage, and everything is new... but no money back. Oh, and a bigger yard. The other one has just a small patio. I really like it, but when you consider it's not that much better than the other one would give us back an extra $4200 a year...

So, ugh.

The other one will also be 3 BR and newly renovated, and also closer to a cool place with lots of fun things for kids to do (for free). Like a big community center. We'll check that out.

Brent's pretty much decided on the one... but... I just don't know, you know?

Awesome quote I heard today:

"If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don't like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself. " - Augustine


I wish I knew what it was that makes me switch from feeling good to feeling bad! Sometimes, I feel awesome... other times, like last night, I was so tired and nauseous that I didn't want to move!

I thought I had a lot to say, but I just got a headache. Maybe I'll post later!

It's been a long day. Last night, I was seriously exhausted. I started to do my evening chores, but Brent stopped me, told me to go to bed, and promised to do them before he came up.

Next morning, I find that he didn't do them, AND he left me more messes. I was really frustrated, but I did it all. Then, I was on a kick and my nesting kicked in, so I did a ridiculous amount of chores. Yeah, but Cayden didn't like deterring from the morning routine, and ended up being a butt for the rest of the morning. By the time naptime came around, I was REALLY ready for a nap. I was so tired I was feeling a bit ill by then. Ok, honestly, I had a cold sweat... stupid hormones.

So, Cayden fell asleep.. and took his shortest nap ever. He refused to go back to sleep, but he was grumpy. He heard my neighbor go out to her porch, popped his head out to say hi, and she invited us over.

We spent most of the day there, and both of the boys have a mild cold.

I had texted Brent and told him I was frustrated, and asked him to bring home dinner, so he made up for it.

Anyway, needless to say, Cayden was exhausted and pretty grumpy tonight. We did the whole evening routine, plus the whole "bubby doesn't feel well" routine on top of that.

Here's what made the whole day awesome:

Brent puts bubs to bed every night, but I give him a big kiss and say "Good night-night!" right before they go up. So, Brent went to pick him up tonight, said "Let's go night-night!"... but Cayden ran away, came and pointed to me, and said "Good night-night!!". He's never said it before, and that was TOO CUTE. He soo got his big night-night kiss from momma!

So, I put on my sandals to go out. Only, they definitely don't fit right. Just another joy of pregnancy... bigger feet.

So, I sigh and say, "I guess I'll wear my sneakers, because these don't fit right anymore."

To which Brent looks and says, "Yeah, wow, you're feet are definitely visibly bigger!"

A little more tack next time, please..? I obviously realized that my shoes didn't fit... but now I feel like sasquatch, too. Thanks.  :(

It's a very rare man indeed who has tact, tho. My husband is just not one of those men.

Weird topic, I know, but check it out anyway!

Chances are, you know what I'm talking about. You'll see a parent with his/her/their child/children out and about, when you suddenly realize that one or more children are attached to their parents, via leash. First thing to cross everyone's minds include: What, is their child a dog to them?

I really hated those things. I really, really did. You're all probably gonna hate me for this, but: I don't hate them anymore. Sure, people can and do use them wrongly, and that needs to stop... but some people use leashes incorrectly for their pets, too, and that doesn't mean that a pet leash itself is a bad thing in all situations, does it?

Why do you put a dog on a leash?
Do any of you have dogs? Have the ever been on a leash? Chances are that they have. Why do/did you use a leash? Isn't it cruel, really?

In a lot of situations, not having a dog on a leash can be cruel. If you're by a busy street with a dog that gets easily distracted, or one that is known to have ignored your commands in the past, you're risking your dog's life. Your dog could see something it likes and bolt before your brain can even register what is going on. Your dog could be so excited, seeing a cat, a friend, food, a toy... that your dog doesn't even hear you call out to it. And then maybe your dog gets hit by a car right in front of you. Even a disciplined dog can get distracted from time to time.

What about crowded places? Your little dog could be RIGHT there two seconds ago, but when it walks just a few steps away from your side, it can suddenly become impossible to see such a small creature in a crowd. Then it's lost in an instant, and it can't even tell people it sees that it's lost and what it's owner looks like. And people are less likely to abduct dogs in crowds than they are to abduct children... How many parents have had that scare? Most parents have realized that their children were out of sight in a crowd at some point, even good parents. How many of those "scares" turned out to be missing children, maybe never to be found?

Young children are often happier to be in strollers. If that's the case, a stroller is the best choice. Strollers are great. But not for Cayden. He HATES being confined in any way, and has since he was born. Strollers or being carried can really lead to him making a scene, because he's an active boy who wants desperately to walk just like mommy and daddy do. And, it's better for him to get the exercise anyway. But, he is so young. He is just learning to come when I call, and just learning to listen to "no!". Even if he WANTED to be carried and picked up all the time, he officially weighs much more than I am suppose to be carrying at this point in my pregnancy. I do it anyway, but I can't do it for too long! What about holding his hand..? He's still so little, and I'm so tall. Leaning down to hold his hand gives me a bad backache after just a short amount of time. It wouldn't be so bad if I weren't pregnant, but I am. Plus, he has to be just inches next to me the entire time, so he has no range to do anything at all.

People get so angry sometimes when they see kid leashes. They say things like "kids should be treated better than dogs!". Right. So, why should parents be looked down upon for giving their children the higher level of safety that dogs get? Is a dog more worthy of being saved from running into a street or getting lost in a crowd than a child? Should I make my child miserable by forcing him to stay in a stroller or carry him (even when my doctor told me not to), when a dog at least gets the freedom of exploring it's surroundings to a safe degree? Also, it's not like I'm going to drag him, and it's not like it's a chokie around his neck... it's a cute backpack that he likes and picked out.

It's not a long-term solution, but Cayden walks as well as most three-year-olds, but still has the discipline level and training of most one-year-olds. He doesn't even have the smallest inkling of the danger that's outside. When he learns for sure to stop running when I call his name, and when he can learn to stay close to me when it's crowded, then it will be safe. Until then, he won't have to endure being confined when all he wants to do is walk. And, until then, I'm sure I'll get glares and probably be told off for being a leash mamma... but at least my son will be safe and happy!