I'm sure this has been keeping you up at night!

Remember that post long, long ago, I wrote down some silly phrases and sayings that get to me? Well, I said my mom used to say, "Home again home again jiggity jig." I couldn't remember the other one.

Well, thanks to my brother Jon's help, here it is: "...and all that jazz!" Now you can sleep easy! Apparently he thinks similarly to me on some things. Sometimes not...which reminds me of a story about "phrases or sayings".

Our family vacations were always to Grandma and Grandpa's house down in the catskills. We went for Thanksgiving and Christmas and of course, fair week. My mom likes to tell the story about when I was just a toddler without a huge vocabulary under my belt. I guess my brother Jon was not feeling so well on that trip. I was happy as could be. What makes me especially happy, even to this day? Those golden arches! haha McDonald's! Everytime we passed McDonald's, I recognized those arches and would yell, "French fries!" And, from what I hear, every time I said that, my brother lost his 'french fries' into ...something, over and over again on our trip. Oops! Eventually we made it home, though I don't know if it was super jiggity.

I went with my parents on their "date night" tonight to McDonalds. Just thought I'd share since I was talking about how it makes me happy. No french fries tonight though. They forgot to put them in the bag. Oh well.

I also want to say, even though those sayings made/make me cringe, I love my mom. Our relationship has grown a lot over the years. I was the only girl, with 3 older brothers. As a little girl, I would sit and color with my mom at the kitchen table in the mornings. We would eat english muffins as a snack and I would drink coffee with her. Well, ok, I had milk in a coffee cup! I admired her and wanted to be a mom and teacher just like her! I grew older and got my own taste in clothes, I was a little grungy tomboyish...not into the frills. I had a few teenage attitudes, more than I'm happy about. I think college was really a time I grew a lot closer to my mom. Freshman year was a difficult one for me on many levels and she was always there to talk on the phone when I needed it. Sometimes she even came and picked me up and we would go somewhere...just to get me away (yes, they do live super close to the college, but these were some hard times for me). She was and is an important prayer warrior for me and I really think she had a hunch about Matt before I did. And no, she does not even remember "paying me" to meet Matt (go to Bible Study), so I don't want to paint a negative picture that she bribes me. That was not characteristic of her, but I think something was happening in the woodwork behind the scenes, and a silly memory I cherish. Now, we spend a lot of time together, especially since Matt is gone (but not for long!!), and we even substitute in many of the same schools. She was the one who prayed for me and loved me before I was born (there were a couple scary moments), rocked me, sang to me, taught me about Jesus, nurtured me from the beginning, and I was the girl she didn't think she was having (after 3 boys, she just thought I was another one. Nope, no Andrew here). Even though she sometimes says silly things and all that jazz, I still love her!

I just want to add one more thing. When Matt and I met, as I wrote below, we met at church. That is so special to me. Growing up as a pastor's kid, we went through a lot of changes and for me, some were joyous times but there were also some heartbreaks and very difficult times for me from divisions etc. It just is so very special to me that God led my Matthew through the church door for me to meet the very first time. I don't believe that was an accident. I think it was a special touch added just by my Heavenly Prince.

*I love you Bubbs! It's almost June!!!