Julie Whalen

Eat Puppy!

2009-07-17T15:23:00.000-07:00

So, I worked for a few hours yesterday which meant Mimi and Papa tag teamed Avery! I am always so excited to see Avery and Mike when I walk in the doors! Usually, we just hug and snuggle and Avery points to things and shows me things, but today was different. Mike told me that she had just eaten her lunch, so I asked her about it fully expecting that she would simply say, "Eat." Instead, she says, "Eat puppy!" I laugh and begin telling Avery why we don't eat puppies. "Avery, here in America, we eat cows and chicken but NOT puppies. Puppies are pets. Now in India, people eat dogs and throughout history dogs have been eaten for food but not in America, Avery."

I guess she didn't get it. Again, "Eat puppy!" "Okay, Avery. Where did you eat the puppy?" She takes me to the kitchen and there in her highchair she had placed her stuffed animal puppy! "Oh my goodness, Avery! I get it! You are telling me one of your FIRST stories! The puppy is eating! YOU are soooooo smart, Avery!" [Hugs, hugs, hugs] So, apparently, I need to work with Avery on her grammatical structure since I thought she was advocating the eating of our beloved pets. I think I'll give her a break, though, since she's only 20 months. :)

"Stop singing, Momma!"

2009-07-14T18:50:00.000-07:00

So this morning Avery, Ali, and I went on a walk. We've been doing this lately: getting up at the crack of dawn to go on our walk, around 9AM, okay, kidding--earlier than that. I love our walks because I feel like all of us are just getting plain spoiled.

For one, we are exercising, and I heard a rumor once that for every thirty minutes you exercise, you gain an hour of life! Ninety, here I come!

For two, we are getting OUT of the house! I know you other mommas know what I'm talking about.

For three, Avery's strapped in which means I don't have to unintentionally play hide-and-go-seek every second of the day that we are IN the house (minus the times Avery is in time out or taking a nap).

For four, we are OUTDOORS and benefiting from the extra vitamin-D soak in the form of sunshine (yeah, you can actually get vitamin-D in other forms besides milk).

For five, we are experiencing God's creation and that, in and of itself, is pure communion . . . even in the city (if you can just look past the pavement, the nasty, smelling trash cans, the gas guzzling cars . . . you get the point).

Well, my favorite thing about being outdoors is the whole communion with God experience. I mean, I just LOVE getting to experience God through His creation! I love seeing the birds, the grass, the trees, and His people walking by/driving by . . . all created by our loving, gracious Father. (Avery loves to enthusiastically tell each of them "Hey" and "Bye bye!")

So, midway through the walk, I'm thinking to myself, "I'm really proud of myself. For starters, I've walked up this killer hill for the fifth time. I bet God's pretty proud of me too! I think I'll tell him how much I love him in the form of song." So, I start belting out in my most beautiful, worshipful voice, "Father, I adore yooooooooooooou. And I lay my life down before yooooooooou. Hoooooooow I loooooooove you." Now, I'm really getting into this when all of a sudden I hear a little 20 month old voice pipe up: "No, no, no!" Thinking to myself, "Surely, Avery's not talking to ME? Surely, she's not talking about MY singing?! I mean, Mike's told me all these years singing's not my greatest gift, but I thought that was just because he is tone-deaf and not musically inclined."

"Well", I'm thinking, "maybe she's talking to the dog or an inanimate object like the tree. She does that--talk to trees, crickets, animals in books, etc." So, needless, to say, I keep singing. And the "no" just gets louder and more whiney. "Well, maybe she IS talking to me." I stop singing. The "No's" subside. I start singing. The "No's" begin again. "Oh, bummer. She is talking/pleading with me."

"Lord, is it true? Is my singing not quite as melodious as I thought?" My mind flashes to all those times growing up of the church pew full of people in front of me giving me funny looks. I just thought,maybe, just maybe, that they were recognizing what I already saw in myself as a young child: "I, yes, I was THE next Sandi Patti."

Well, clearly, it's now official. If my own 20 month old is annoyed by my worshipful prayer to God, then, all those years are now confirmed. Sandy Patti, "Sorry. I won't be following in your footsteps."

Lately, I've HAVE been trying to narrow down what specifically my giftings are so that I can focus on developing these gifts. I guess I can check "Leading others in worshipful song" OFF the list.

I want to add one more thing, though. I did make one mistake today. :) Know what that was!? I STOPPED singing! Sorry, Avery! Sorry, whole church pew of people in front on me! The music's to my awesome God! Any complainers to the melodious, harmonious tunes that escape the mouth of Julie Whalen are gonna just have to plug their ears! :)

I have 11 followers . . . and still counting.

2009-07-08T19:12:00.000-07:00

Well, it's THIS exciting! Thank you, you loyal (so far) 11 followers! So this is what I've been missing out on, ey? The whole world's been blogging, following, and being followed . . . and I'm just catching on. Better late than never, right?

So, I have a few ideas, but, again, I need your encouragement. Kinda like when Tinkerbell couldn't fly unless people clapped for her. It was clapping, right? Comments will work just fine for me since I won't be able to hear your clapping . . . unless you show up on my door step. I recommend calling first, though.

So, here's what I'm thinking about blogging about:

Christianity: It's all about the Relationship!

Dreaming BIG dreams!

Soft Answers Turn away WRATH!

A Day in My Brain!

(Notice the importance of the "!" at the end of each of my titles. "!"'s always indicate that it's FUN and EXCITING!)

Bloggers, I aim not to let you dooooooooown! :)

Isn't My Blog Cool!

2009-07-08T13:23:00.001-07:00

So, I LOVE the background on my blog! I've had it for at least three weeks. I'm really proud of it . . . so proud, indeed, that I told my mom she should go see it! [Mom] "Uhm, Julie, there's nothing ON your blog." [Julie] "Lol. But it sure is pretty."

I suppose that I should start blogging, but ONLY if I can get some followers! (Why write if no one's going to read???). I think I'll start off with a small audience: Whalens, Hardins, my fabulous facebook friends??? How about it? Wanna follow me??? So, how about if just TEN of you decide to follow me, THEN I'll start blogging! :) Then, there's what to write about . . . any ideas? YOU, yes, YOU give me the topic and I'LL write about it . . . Julie style.

I'm waiting!!!!!!!