Madonna has changed her name. Is this her latest attempt to make people frown, raise eyebrows, and scratch heads? And she changed her name to Esther. She has been Madonna for like a hundred years...how the heck to people just start calling an icon "Esther"?

In other news, the Lakers are discombobulated now. Their head coach wants to quit, Kobe wants to quit, Shaq wants to quit. Somebody cry me a river. These people make a bazillion dollars a year, and they are big whiney babies over losing to the Pistons in the Finals. My heart is bleeding purple peanutbutter.

Now, back to my little world, the anniversary dinner went great. We went to Red Lobster, spent an arm and a leg, and stuffed ourselves. I hadn't ate there in like years. Afterwards we decided to go across the street to the Hickory Ridge Mall. I hadn't been to that mall in a couple years either, and I was thoroughly shocked at the "atmosphere" and "culture". That mall used to be THE mall to go to, but then again so was the Mall of Memphis, and the Southland Mall, once upon a time. Several familiar stores have closed and been replaced with a "Greg's" and a "Marty's", if you know what I mean. And we felt like we were outnumbered, and this made us rather uncomfortable, especially as the mall was getting near closing time, and the security guards were everywhere. Atleast there WERE security guards everywhere. Before we left the mall, we had a very unnerving experience. Some of you that are from around here and have been to this mall in the past, you probably will remember that there used to be a store called Natural Wonder or something like that. Well this store has now been replaced by thisome store (I can't even remember the name) filled with voodoo and insence and little idols and Buddha stuff. Well, in the FRONT of the store was a bunch of pretty windchimes and hanging lamps and stuff that was pretty cool looking, which is why I stepped foot in the store in the first place, but then as you keep walking toward the back of the store, the merchandise became more "dark" and I literally FELT evil spirits. Then I felt something like a force shoving me out of the store. No lie. After we were back out in the mall, I looked over at Michael and he looked over at me and we both had the same look on our faces. He felt the same thing I felt. We experienced Spiritual Warfare firsthand. As Christians, the Holy Spirit dwells in us, and I honestly believe the Holy Spirit was pushing us out of that store. It didn't help that there was a little magnet in the store that read "Please Jesus, protect me from your followers."

Today Travis had his playdate with Jeron. After lunch, we all went outside and the kids had a blast in the water. It all started when Jeron started splashing in the rain water that had been left behind in Travis little red wagon. He got totally soaked, and then Travis thought he'd try it, and before you know it, they splashed all the water out of the wagon, so I dragged out the water house and filled the wagon back up. Well, by this time, Jeron decided to SIT in the water, so I was like "Oh, what the hay," and I squirted both of them down with the hose. Jeron's little sister Melody got all involved, too. She's not quite walking yet...she's not quite a year old yet...and she was playing in the water just like the "big" kids. Afterwards, we came in and had to strip all the kids of their clothes, except for Jacob who sat on the swing and relaxed the whole time. So then we had naked kids all over the house and had to chase them down to get them dried off and dressed in dry clothes. By then, everyone was ready for a nap, so they went home, Jacob took a nap, I took a nap, and Travis laid down in his room and watched a movie, but never went to sleep. After supper tonight, Travis was ready to go outside to play AGAIN, so we went BACK outside, and I scrubbed the patio furniture, picked up junk in the yard, and used the broom to get some bugs and wasps nests and webs and stuff down from around the windows outside, and by then, I was POOPED, so I brought the kids in, threw Travis in the tub, got Jacob ready for bed, read Travis a story, laid down with him in his bed 'til he went to sleep, did 3 loads of laundry, took a bath, and now I'm sitting here doing this. WHEW, I am TIRED, and I have a long day tomorrow, too.

Tomorrow is my nephew Aaron's birthday party from 1 to 3, and I still have to find him a present, plus I have to take the kids to see my Mom. (She had her heart cath done today, and thankfully they were able to repair the blockage in her heart and she won't have to have surgery, thank the Lord.) I ALSO have to get July's music schedule put together tomorrow. And then of course we all know what Sunday will be like, plus it's Father's Day Sunday.

I am worn out...I'm off to bed now. Night Night.

Anyone know what today is? I'll give you 3 guesses...and I'll give you a few hints. It's not my birthday, it's not my kids' birthdays, it's not anybody's birthday in my family. Give up? It's our anniversary...4 years, to be exact! If someone had told me on my wedding day that 4 years later I would be up at 8 a.m. watching Barney with 2 boys of my own, I would have laughed. Things definitely have not gone according to plan (whose life ever does?), but I can honestly say that I am far more happy with God's plans for me than I would be going with my own plans for me.

And I will say this...marriage is like a fine wine...it gets better with age. I used to have the total opposite outlook on marriage, before I got married. I thought the first year would be total paradise and then it would all go downhill from there. In actuality, it's quite the opposite. The first year was, well, you know, and a lot of that is contributed to the fact that the longer you are married, the more you learn about each other. When Michael and I dated, we were together almost every single day for the year and a half we dated. But you don't REALLY learn about that person until you live together. Which then comes the stupid argument about living together prior to marriage, and most of you know I disagree with THAT. But don't get me started on that again.

So tonight the kids are going to Mamaw's, and Michael is taking me somewhere to eat. He says next year for our 5th anniversary we'll do something extra special. This year we're just too POOR. 2 of my nephew's birthdays are this month, Jacob's birthday, Michael's mom's birthday, one of Michael's sister's bithday, Father's Day, our anniversary, and then the first part of July is Travis' birthday, Michael's Dad's birthday, and another nephew's birthday. It's a huge strain on our budget just to buy everyone a card and a cheap $10 gift. But then if you don't buy people stuff, certain unnamed people get their feelings all hurt and so in return they stop buying you presents, even though they have money flowing out the ears. But if you buy each of the above named people JUST a $10 gift and a card, assuming a card costs $3.00, and you get your gift bags at the dollar store for $1 each, that is spending $154. Now, I am going to spend well over $10 each for my kids' birthdays, plus decorations, plus food, plus cake and ice cream for their parties, so where is this money going to magically come from?

Okay, enough complaining. There is plenty to be thankful for...and eveything always works out.

Now I must go get my husband a card!!!

I. Am. Stuffed. Ihop is good, very good. I just hope it doesn't keep me up all night. I really don't like it when link sausages go for a swim in my stomach at 3 a.m. I am also very tired. Church went extremely long tonight...try 2 HOURS, and then we met up with everyone at Ihop to welcome Terri home. Her flight landed around 9'ish tonight, and we all showed up there and surprised her and ate and drank lots of coffee, so even though I'm all caffeinated, I'm wiped out.

Anyone know where I can get a really cheap, good vacuum cleaner? We learned today that the motor burned out in my vacuum. I haven't been able to vacuum in over 2 weeks now, and it's Cat Hair City around here. Travis has a playdate Friday afternoon with Jeron, and I don't want Angie to bring her kids over here and them have to roll around in the cat hair. So I either need $100 or someone to donate a vacuum cleaner, like tomorrow.

Goodnight for now.

It's been raining cats and dogs all day. PLEASE don't leave any more cats or dogs at my house...please!

I was just reading one of the first things that flashed up on AOL when I signed on just now, and it's talking about Sadaam being handed over to the Iraqi government June 30, and I'm thinking HUH?? I guess I don't watch the news much, and I'm just kind of shocked. Aren't there like lots of people over there in Iraq that still hate the thoughts of a peaceful, free country and still want Sadaam in power? Can Iraq actually be TRUSTED to handle disposing of Sadaam properly? I don't get it. We finally capture him after all these years, and then just release him back into the wild?

We had to call the auto loan people yesterday to ask if we can extend this month's car payment 'til the 21st. We had all these unexpected medical expenses as well as expected birthday expenses, and with all our other regular expenses, ends just didn't meet this week. They were happy to work with us and not charge us a late fee. I almost think I'm dreaming. This CAN'T be MY life!

We are all finally crud free. Somehow Michael escaped the wrath of the stomach virus, and he is very, very lucky. Of course, I don't suppose he's out of the woods just yet. The part I find to be not fair is that everyone else that got it got over it in 2 or 3 days, and mine lasted a week. Why me?

That's it for now. I gotta make a grocery list. Why does it always rain on grocery day?

The sky looks totally wicked right now. The sun is setting, and there are big, patchy, dark clouds that look pink and purple, but they are top of the background of ice blue sky. If you look up a little farther, it's more smooth looking dark gray clouds with lightning in them...very freaky.

Anyway, I am feeling better today. I was able to eat supper last night, and breakfast & lunch today. Not sure if I want any supper...I still feel slightly ugh, so I'm just going to keep drinking stuff.

My knee is totally yuck...part of the blister popped, and it hurt. I've been trying to keep it bandaged up today, but every time I have to get up for something, the tape doesn't stick. FYI...the knee is a very bad place to get burned. My knee bothered me a whole lot last night, and I didn't really think I could hobble to and from the piano at church today, so we stayed home.

Michael got home last night between 12:30 and 1:00, and I was getting scared because after I watched 2 DVDs, and the kids were asleep, and the house was quiet, and I tried to fall asleep, every litte sound freaked me out. I did fall asleep temporarily, but had some really freaky nightmare that my living room was filled with a giant spider web and I had to walk though it to get to my bedroom, and I was freaking out because I was covered in it, so I wanted to get in the shower to wash it off, and then I fell in the shower, and Travis was trying to find me, and he was crying because he couldn't. So after I woke up from that, I was REALLY too scared to fall asleep.

ANYWAY, I have so much to do this week to make up for lost time last week. I think for now I'm going to take a bath.