Noah had the great idea for our family (well, the kids and I) to go Christmas caroling in our neighborhood and hand out plates of cookies. Sounds great, right?
Actually, it went against every sane bone in my body (admittedly, there may not be many). This involved knocking on doors of near-strangers and singing at the top of my lungs because I have to if I am asking the kids to. But the scariest part of all...taking Mr. Unpredictable (a.k.a. Levi) on a walk in the dark to sing on porches of people who don't know us.
We made a few rules before we left:
1. No touching snow with anything other than the snowboots on our feet. This was because we knew it was going to be a long walk and touching snow means you get to be wet for the very long walk.
2. Stay together. Always. No exceptions.
3. Do not go into anyone's house unless Mom says so.
Turns out, my fears were well-founded. The following is a list of all the crazy things Mr. Unpredictable did on our 2 hour long walk...
1. Immediately walked through the highest snow he could find.
2. Bent down and made a zombie snowman (his words) every 5 feet or so. Again, touching the snow.
3. Fell off a random neighbor's porch. This was not accidental. Yay for porch-side bushes.
4. Inspected about 20 people's Christmas ornaments, no matter where that meant he had to walk.
5. Opened the door and let a German Shepherd out, right at face level. :S Thankfully, we know this particular pup.
6. Waltzed right into one person's house and took off his boots. Thankfully, we know this family well. ;)
7. Sang probably two lines total.
But what he didn't do was more important. He didn't...
1. Refuse to walk.
2. Scream or cry.
3. Run away.
4. Say anything inappropriate. At least where people could hear.
All in all, I'll call it a success. Considering that when we got home, he was soaking wet from all of his "snow-touching", I'd say he did far better than I would have expected. We'll do it again next year, I hope.
Rule #4 will be...only ring the doorbell once.
Monday, December 24, 2012
Monday, October 29, 2012
Acceptance
Levi screamed his way through games at AWANA tonight. The game was kickball and he was happy when he was kicking or running bases, but the outfield was just too unpredictable for him, I think. You never know where the ball is going and he is still just a little guy, so the big kids kept getting the ball in "his" area. We ended up skipping that part for most of the game, because sometimes it's just not worth it to try to force something he can't handle.
It was one of those times when I just feel like I have no idea how to help him. BUT...the game leader and other leaders are wonderful. I have told them that I view the whole thing as a kind of social therapy for him. When I need help, they are happy to help and very good at loving on my Hannah-girl, who is in the same class and has to pretend I'm not there so I can deal with Levi. They are also perfectly willing to just take my smile and nod as "I've got this" and keep doing what they are doing with the other kids. I shadow him all through game time, give deep pressure while he sits on my lap during Bible time, and work with him one-on-one for his memory work.
It's a hard 90 minutes, but when I leave there, I don't feel like he is too much trouble. I'm not crazy or imagining his issues, and we are accepted just as we are.
It was one of those times when I just feel like I have no idea how to help him. BUT...the game leader and other leaders are wonderful. I have told them that I view the whole thing as a kind of social therapy for him. When I need help, they are happy to help and very good at loving on my Hannah-girl, who is in the same class and has to pretend I'm not there so I can deal with Levi. They are also perfectly willing to just take my smile and nod as "I've got this" and keep doing what they are doing with the other kids. I shadow him all through game time, give deep pressure while he sits on my lap during Bible time, and work with him one-on-one for his memory work.
It's a hard 90 minutes, but when I leave there, I don't feel like he is too much trouble. I'm not crazy or imagining his issues, and we are accepted just as we are.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Awesomeness
Noah and Levi were talking about hunting, since Noah recently got his small game license.
N: So what should we hunt, Levi? Woodchucks? Bunnies?
L: I am way too young to be seeing dead bunnies.
L: Unless a zombie is eating it.
Yep, that is my awesome kid... ;)
N: So what should we hunt, Levi? Woodchucks? Bunnies?
L: I am way too young to be seeing dead bunnies.
L: Unless a zombie is eating it.
Yep, that is my awesome kid... ;)
Monday, September 24, 2012
The Corn Maze Experience
It seemed like such a good idea at the time.
(Hint: not everything that seems like a good idea, actually is.)
It was a sunny, fall day. The best kind of fall day, it started out just right for sweatshirts and jeans and by the middle of the day, our sweatshirts were tied around our waists.
It was a family fun day. Better yet, a free family fun day, sponsored by our local autism group along with several corporate sponsors!
Our first stop was the corn crib...a great sensory experience! Basically a sandbox filled with corn! The kids could have spent all day there easily, but we knew there was so much to see and do.
Second stop...pedal karts! Go-karts with pedals in lieu of motors. Great fun! The kids pedaled a few times around the track before handing the karts off to the next in line.
We were having such a good time that I didn't think twice about trying out the corn maze. There were even signs inside and quiz sheets to help us figure out which way to go. No problem. Our family is full of intelligent people who love adventure. Sounds like just the thing for such a family, doesn't it? Again...it seemed like such a good idea at the time. Ha.
By the time we reached the first sign, I realized this was going to be a long process. And a longer walk. No way could Brian do this. So, I sent him back and told him to relax while we finished the maze. Four kids and one mom alone in the corn maze? No problem. We can do this.
Except Brian decided it would be a great idea to lurk there for a little while, knowing that our trail would loop around and we'd be near him again (I never was one for reading a map, though there was one to be read). And so...he lay in wait for his victim.
His victim? Oh yeah, the kid with high anxiety and at times a low tolerance for Dad's baloney. The kid who I'm sure jumped high enough to see the entire maze from above. The kid who showed every ounce of his Asperger's in the next few minutes. Dad received a one-way ticket and strong encouragement to the "door".
The kids and I continued on. We would conquer this beast! Or not. With every step, the mud on the bottom of our sneakers was building up until we felt we were walking on stilts. Still, we reached sign #2 pretty quickly. That, apparently, was the last of our luck.
On the way to sign #3, we lost a kid. This, I should have expected. Noah and Hannah had been racing ahead and though I had been telling them to stay within sight, they did not. Before long, I could not find Noah, but we did find sign #3. I figured...he's 12 and would be able to find his way out. The younger kids had had just about enough of the super-fun mud walking, and having 8 more signs to reach, we decided it best to turn around and find the entrance.
Except...we couldn't find it. None of the twists and turns twisted or turned in the way we remembered. Great.
Hannah had the bright idea (I'd love to say it was my own bright idea, but I do not wish to be struck by lightning) to simply listen for the music and then walk toward it, even if it meant following no path at all. We did find the very last part of the path and walked back out the entrance. Much to Brian's amusement. Oh, and missing kid was also there, laughing at the rest of us.
Never again. Or should I say...never again under those circumstances.
Never again when it has rained the night before.
Never again with most of my children. (There is one I would go with...alone. And possibly with a tent and provisions for a week.)
Actually, the list of people I would enter a corn maze with has shrunk to nearly zero.
See, I learn new things every day. ;)
(Hint: not everything that seems like a good idea, actually is.)
It was a sunny, fall day. The best kind of fall day, it started out just right for sweatshirts and jeans and by the middle of the day, our sweatshirts were tied around our waists.
It was a family fun day. Better yet, a free family fun day, sponsored by our local autism group along with several corporate sponsors!
Our first stop was the corn crib...a great sensory experience! Basically a sandbox filled with corn! The kids could have spent all day there easily, but we knew there was so much to see and do.
Second stop...pedal karts! Go-karts with pedals in lieu of motors. Great fun! The kids pedaled a few times around the track before handing the karts off to the next in line.
We were having such a good time that I didn't think twice about trying out the corn maze. There were even signs inside and quiz sheets to help us figure out which way to go. No problem. Our family is full of intelligent people who love adventure. Sounds like just the thing for such a family, doesn't it? Again...it seemed like such a good idea at the time. Ha.
By the time we reached the first sign, I realized this was going to be a long process. And a longer walk. No way could Brian do this. So, I sent him back and told him to relax while we finished the maze. Four kids and one mom alone in the corn maze? No problem. We can do this.
Except Brian decided it would be a great idea to lurk there for a little while, knowing that our trail would loop around and we'd be near him again (I never was one for reading a map, though there was one to be read). And so...he lay in wait for his victim.
His victim? Oh yeah, the kid with high anxiety and at times a low tolerance for Dad's baloney. The kid who I'm sure jumped high enough to see the entire maze from above. The kid who showed every ounce of his Asperger's in the next few minutes. Dad received a one-way ticket and strong encouragement to the "door".
The kids and I continued on. We would conquer this beast! Or not. With every step, the mud on the bottom of our sneakers was building up until we felt we were walking on stilts. Still, we reached sign #2 pretty quickly. That, apparently, was the last of our luck.
On the way to sign #3, we lost a kid. This, I should have expected. Noah and Hannah had been racing ahead and though I had been telling them to stay within sight, they did not. Before long, I could not find Noah, but we did find sign #3. I figured...he's 12 and would be able to find his way out. The younger kids had had just about enough of the super-fun mud walking, and having 8 more signs to reach, we decided it best to turn around and find the entrance.
Except...we couldn't find it. None of the twists and turns twisted or turned in the way we remembered. Great.
Hannah had the bright idea (I'd love to say it was my own bright idea, but I do not wish to be struck by lightning) to simply listen for the music and then walk toward it, even if it meant following no path at all. We did find the very last part of the path and walked back out the entrance. Much to Brian's amusement. Oh, and missing kid was also there, laughing at the rest of us.
Never again. Or should I say...never again under those circumstances.
Never again when it has rained the night before.
Never again with most of my children. (There is one I would go with...alone. And possibly with a tent and provisions for a week.)
Actually, the list of people I would enter a corn maze with has shrunk to nearly zero.
See, I learn new things every day. ;)
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Kids Bowl Free review
Jessica asked about the kids bowl free program, so I thought I would break down our actual cost (because not much in life is truly free) and give my thoughts on the program.
Website: http://www.kidsbowlfree.com/
Breakdown of costs:
The bowling alley we went to was an hour away from our house, so there were significant driving costs, but I tried to do something else in the area on each trip...shop at BJ's, stop at a park on the way home, etc. One week, we even planned the bowling trip right before we had to drop my sister and her family off at the airport. We didn't go every week, but there were some weeks we went twice, so I will say we went bowling about 10 times.
Per visit cost.....................................$10.35
Not bad for 4 kids and I, not bad at all!!! If we had lived closer, I think we would have gone at least 2-3 times every week. If I had not also bowled and we had no occasional treat (slushies or pizza), the cost would have been only $5.00 for 2 games each for 4 kids.
On top of the minimal cost, it was great exercise in an air conditioned building and the kids had a blast. A couple of them also learned how to deal with disappointment (aka...gutter balls!), which is a valuable life skill. Noah improved from bowling about a 40 to an 80 and we are looking for a league for him to join!
Bottom line: It wasn't totally free, but when you have 4 kids, you don't get much closer to free! And it was fun! We would definitely do it again!
Website: http://www.kidsbowlfree.com/
Breakdown of costs:
- Kids bowl..............................FREE (of course)
- Parents bowl too pass............$12.50 (was $25 for up to 4 adults, split it with my sister)
- Family shoe pass...................$50.00
- Slushies (2x for 4 kids).........$16.00
- Pizza (1x)..............................$25.00
The bowling alley we went to was an hour away from our house, so there were significant driving costs, but I tried to do something else in the area on each trip...shop at BJ's, stop at a park on the way home, etc. One week, we even planned the bowling trip right before we had to drop my sister and her family off at the airport. We didn't go every week, but there were some weeks we went twice, so I will say we went bowling about 10 times.
Per visit cost.....................................$10.35
Not bad for 4 kids and I, not bad at all!!! If we had lived closer, I think we would have gone at least 2-3 times every week. If I had not also bowled and we had no occasional treat (slushies or pizza), the cost would have been only $5.00 for 2 games each for 4 kids.
On top of the minimal cost, it was great exercise in an air conditioned building and the kids had a blast. A couple of them also learned how to deal with disappointment (aka...gutter balls!), which is a valuable life skill. Noah improved from bowling about a 40 to an 80 and we are looking for a league for him to join!
Bottom line: It wasn't totally free, but when you have 4 kids, you don't get much closer to free! And it was fun! We would definitely do it again!
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Goodbye, summer...hello, fall!
**Warning...this is a pretty boring post, probably. But I know in a year or more, when I look back, I'll be glad I wrote it. :)
I've never understood why the summer doesn't end until near the end of September. As far as I'm concerned, summer is gone.
Summer was a success. Seriously, one of the best ever. We were in a pretty good routine and spent a TON of time outside. I took the kids swimming at least twice a week, every week. Noah went fishing most of those times and actually caught some good sized fish! We took the kids bowling almost every Friday, with the Kids Bowl Free program. It was really neat to see them improve so much, and I'm going to be looking for a league for Noah to play in. We did the summer reading program at the library, as always. We even started up the new year of homeschooling at the beginning of August...and still managed to have lots of fun!!
Here comes fall...soccer will be starting soon for the three younger kids. Noah won't be playing this year, but will hopefully be assisting on a team of younger kids...with no siblings. AWANA starts up in a couple weeks for the three younger kids, and Noah is going to try out our church's youth group. Swim and gym will be starting soon, and everyone except Esther will be doing that! We're going to be doing music and art with homeschooling friends this year, every other Monday. On top of that, I have 4 online classes toward my bachelor's degree!
Busy, busy... :)
I've never understood why the summer doesn't end until near the end of September. As far as I'm concerned, summer is gone.
Summer was a success. Seriously, one of the best ever. We were in a pretty good routine and spent a TON of time outside. I took the kids swimming at least twice a week, every week. Noah went fishing most of those times and actually caught some good sized fish! We took the kids bowling almost every Friday, with the Kids Bowl Free program. It was really neat to see them improve so much, and I'm going to be looking for a league for Noah to play in. We did the summer reading program at the library, as always. We even started up the new year of homeschooling at the beginning of August...and still managed to have lots of fun!!
Here comes fall...soccer will be starting soon for the three younger kids. Noah won't be playing this year, but will hopefully be assisting on a team of younger kids...with no siblings. AWANA starts up in a couple weeks for the three younger kids, and Noah is going to try out our church's youth group. Swim and gym will be starting soon, and everyone except Esther will be doing that! We're going to be doing music and art with homeschooling friends this year, every other Monday. On top of that, I have 4 online classes toward my bachelor's degree!
Busy, busy... :)
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Living with broken
Sometimes it's easier to live with "broken" than to do the work to fix it, isn't it?
We've had a broken, ugly ceiling in our dining room for over a year now. One of the boards in the drop ceiling broke and came through the (pretty old) sheetrock. As all of the sheetrock looked like it was going to follow sooner rather than later, we finally decided to bite the bullet and deal with the mess of renovations.
And messy, it is. Brian has taped plastic over the doorways and small window between kitchen and diningroom. This contains the mess and keeps dust from spreading all over the house. It also means we have to go through the back door to get to the kitchen. If we want to get in (or out) the rest of the house, we're currently using a window on the front porch. I assure you, this is more than humorous.
However, if you should appear with a camera of any sort, you will be detained in my basement for the rest of your days.
It was easier in the short-term to ignore what needed to be done. I have a feeling once this is done, we'll only wish we'd done it sooner. Probably true of many things in life...
We've had a broken, ugly ceiling in our dining room for over a year now. One of the boards in the drop ceiling broke and came through the (pretty old) sheetrock. As all of the sheetrock looked like it was going to follow sooner rather than later, we finally decided to bite the bullet and deal with the mess of renovations.
And messy, it is. Brian has taped plastic over the doorways and small window between kitchen and diningroom. This contains the mess and keeps dust from spreading all over the house. It also means we have to go through the back door to get to the kitchen. If we want to get in (or out) the rest of the house, we're currently using a window on the front porch. I assure you, this is more than humorous.
However, if you should appear with a camera of any sort, you will be detained in my basement for the rest of your days.
It was easier in the short-term to ignore what needed to be done. I have a feeling once this is done, we'll only wish we'd done it sooner. Probably true of many things in life...
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
What happens when I read while the children are awake
Oh boy. You'd think I'd know by now...quiet children are NOT behaving children. Ha.
The two little kids were upstairs, playing nicely. Hannah was in my bed, watching TV and recovering from having her tonsils and adenoids out yesterday. Noah was outside, hammering something in the garage. I dared to sit on the porch all alone and read a book (I know...what was I thinking?).
About 15 minutes later, Hannah comes out to the porch and croaks, "Mom. Kids. Bathroom. Water."
Uh-oh...
At the end of my Olympic-worthy sprint, I found exactly what Hannah said. Kids. Bathroom. Water.
Levi and Esther were filling up the sink and then pouring the water, um, everywhere? Oh, those two little urchins...
But hey, my bathroom floor hasn't been this clean in a long time. :S
The two little kids were upstairs, playing nicely. Hannah was in my bed, watching TV and recovering from having her tonsils and adenoids out yesterday. Noah was outside, hammering something in the garage. I dared to sit on the porch all alone and read a book (I know...what was I thinking?).
About 15 minutes later, Hannah comes out to the porch and croaks, "Mom. Kids. Bathroom. Water."
Uh-oh...
At the end of my Olympic-worthy sprint, I found exactly what Hannah said. Kids. Bathroom. Water.
Levi and Esther were filling up the sink and then pouring the water, um, everywhere? Oh, those two little urchins...
But hey, my bathroom floor hasn't been this clean in a long time. :S
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Word of the day: Chik-Fil-A
All of this babble about Chik-Fil-A and the 'right' of gays to marry...gay rights are not the issue here. The point is being completely missed by most everyone.
The bigger issue is free speech. If all Americans (including Christians) are not allowed to freely speak out their beliefs, there is no purpose in even talking about gay rights.
Free speech is for ALL. Saying you believe in one man and one woman being married is not hate speech. It's the statement of one's belief. It forces no one to agree. It also forces no one to buy or not buy chicken from one particular restaurant or another.
There are plenty of things I don't care for in the world, many of which I can "vote" against with my wallet. Some of which I decide are not worth it to me, or I can't afford to bother with.
The media in this country is out of control, seeking to sway public opinion and publicly slandering a fast food company because the man who happens to own it doesn't believe in gay marriage. Ridiculous.
I hope Mr. Cathy made an absolute killing today and his business grows because of his willingness to stand for what he believes. We don't have any Chik-Fil-A near us, but the next time I am near one, I'll be happy to eat there and support the company whose CEO is not afraid of public opinion.
The bigger issue is free speech. If all Americans (including Christians) are not allowed to freely speak out their beliefs, there is no purpose in even talking about gay rights.
Free speech is for ALL. Saying you believe in one man and one woman being married is not hate speech. It's the statement of one's belief. It forces no one to agree. It also forces no one to buy or not buy chicken from one particular restaurant or another.
There are plenty of things I don't care for in the world, many of which I can "vote" against with my wallet. Some of which I decide are not worth it to me, or I can't afford to bother with.
The media in this country is out of control, seeking to sway public opinion and publicly slandering a fast food company because the man who happens to own it doesn't believe in gay marriage. Ridiculous.
I hope Mr. Cathy made an absolute killing today and his business grows because of his willingness to stand for what he believes. We don't have any Chik-Fil-A near us, but the next time I am near one, I'll be happy to eat there and support the company whose CEO is not afraid of public opinion.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
The Life of a Bathroom Cat
I wasn't always a bathroom cat. Here follows the timeline of my life...some dates are approximate:
2-1-99 I was born. Let the party begin!
3-20-99 My brother, Agua, and I moved into our new home. There is another cat there, Forest. She thinks she is the boss. She's wrong.
5-1-99 Our first home (Grandma and Grandpa's house) burnt down. I was glad we didn't live there anymore. The only cat in residence at the time was our father, Pooh Bear, and he survived the fire.
5-31-99 Mom peed on a stick. She got very excited. I am not sure what implications this has for my life.
8-31-99 Mom must have quit her job or something. She's home all day every day now. Dad better keep working. I like to eat!
10-1-99 Agua ran away today. I hope it wasn't something I said.
10-2-99 I heard word of Agua's untimely death. Such a young lad, so many years ahead of him.
11-30-99 Forest escaped the house today. And got ran over by a truck. From this day forward, I will spend (almost) all of my days indoors. Outside is just too scary! This is now a one cat house.
2-14-00 Mom has disappeared. I hope it has something to do with removing that watermelon she has grown in her belly.
2-21-00 The watermelon has returned with Mom. It makes a terrible noise.
10-1-00 Our family has moved. We now live in a trailer on Grandma and Grandpa's lawn. They have just moved into their new log house. Oh, the scratching I could do there...
3-14-01 I am a hero. A fat rat tried to move in from the farm down the road. I served him with his eviction notice. ;)
4-1-01 I have given birth to the 4 most beautiful kittens in the world! If only I knew who their father was...
6-1-01 All of my children have grown and flown the coop. Now to get this body back in shape.
6-5-01 I went for a car ride today, and then a nap. I must have been robbed while I slept, for I no longer have claws. I don't think I will have any more kittens either.
9-1-01 We have moved again. Definitely a downgrade. Our whole family in one room at Valoo's house.
1-1-02 We moved AGAIN! This place is beautiful, with plenty of room for the four of us. I love to sit on the couch and watch the birds in our yard.
2-16-02 That squawling watermelon has grown and is not quite so bothersome anymore. I hope that never happens again!
8-1-02 We are moving again. Back to Grandma and Grandpa's again. Perhaps this is my destiny. Oh, and there is another kid now, but he is not here all the time. And he didn't start off as a watermelon.
10-15-02 Moving. Again. At least there is plenty of space here in this yellow apartment building. Plenty of catnip smoking college students, too. I wish they would share.
8-1-03 Story of my life. Moving again. Back to Grandma and Grandpa's, but in our own apartment this time.
1-14-04 Furnace broke during the coldest winter ever. Thank God for moving this time! Back in with Valoo while we look for a new home.
2-21-04 My family moved, but left me behind.
5-1-04 Mom says she's so sorry, and now I can come live with her again. Someday I will pee on her favorite shoes for that. This house is a lovely trailer in the country. And I do mean country. Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! There is a swamp behind our house and a bunch of giant fans in front.
5-19-04 I feel a need to explore the great outdoors. In fact, I think I will go on a month-long survival expedition in the swamp behind our house. Maybe I'll pop back in just as my funeral is being performed, covered in burdocks so sticky mom has to give me a hair cut.
6-20-04 Mom peed on another one of those sticks again. I sure hope it's not a sign of another watermelon.
7-31-04 Definitely another watermelon growing.
2-19-05 That watermelon is huge. And we are moving. Not sure how this is going to work out.
2-20-05 Mom is on her way to...somewhere. I think she's having kittens!
2-22-05 Nope, just one smelly watermelon. I don't know why she likes those noisy things.
4-30-06 Just living the life...it's good here.
5-15-06 I have a feeling...another watermelon. The second one isn't even grown yet!
2-9-07 Mom left in a terrible blizzard. It must be important. Like she wants to buy me some cat food?
2-10-07 Nope, just another watermelon. The biggest one yet! I wonder how many times this will happen. This house is filling up.
4-16-07 I've been put in kitty jail. I don't know why. All I did was pee on...everything. How else will I show my disgust with all of these children? I've heard this is the bathroom, and nothing terrifies me more. Don't they know cats don't like water??
8-23-07 Maybe it's not so bad here in the bathroom. The kids don't bother me and I get lovins every time someone has to pee.
10-13-07 Not feeling so well. I decide to go on a hunger strike and scare the crap out of Mom and Dad. Finally, they narrow it down to a tooth in an awkward position. Dad grabs his pliers, Mom wraps me up in a towel, and...problem solved. The best part? Wet cat food for a month!
12-27-07 Mom peed on another stick. Oh boy...here we go again.
7-20-08 My family appears to have left me. I don't know why and I don't know where. Occasionally a stranger comes and feeds me. I wish Mom would come home and change my stink box.
7-28-08 Mom was home for a little while. She forgot to take care of my stink box. I shall make a mess on the floor for her, now that I know she is alive and well. Hmpf.
8-1-08 Mom is home every night now. She cries when the kids go to bed. They all leave early every morning. I don't know where Dad went.
8-8-08 Dad is home. I think. It looks kind of like him. But all he does is lay in bed. Sometimes I can leave my prison to snuggle with him. I like that.
8-27-08 I hear the new watermelon is coming soon. This should be a trip.
8-29-08 This last watermelon is the worst one. She took over my snuggle spot on Dad!
2-1-09 My 10th birthday! Guess what Mom and Dad got me? Two puppies to boss around. Yay. :S
4-30-09 I can't figure it out. Dad keeps going away to be "fixed up" and comes back in much worse shape. You'd think they would figure that out and stop taking him there. I can't even snuggle him any more. Darn pups...
7-05-10 It has come to my attention that I have a boring life. That's okay. I like it here in the bathroom. It's a great life, you know...eat, sleep, leave hairballs all over Mom's towels, occasionally and randomly puke all over...it's great!
8-1-10 We had two temporary houseguests. Cute little whippersnappers they were. Reminded me of my own children. I wonder why they never bring the grandkids to visit. Our visitors didn't stay long. :(
7-13-12 I am sick. Sick and tired. I'm 13 years old, what do you want from me?
7-18-12 I think I might die. I hope I have lived my life well.
7-19-12 I saw a vet today. He gave me a shot that should help me regain my youth. I don't think so though. I am so very tired. I want to sleep forever. I have to wait for Mom to go to sleep first. I can't bear to hear her cry again. I will miss her.
7-20-12 When I woke up, I saw the most wonderful thing! I now live in a mansion. I think I'm waiting for Mom to join me. She's going to like it here. And...there are no stink boxes here!
RIP, sweet Coon-Coon. You lived a good life.
2-1-99 I was born. Let the party begin!
3-20-99 My brother, Agua, and I moved into our new home. There is another cat there, Forest. She thinks she is the boss. She's wrong.
5-1-99 Our first home (Grandma and Grandpa's house) burnt down. I was glad we didn't live there anymore. The only cat in residence at the time was our father, Pooh Bear, and he survived the fire.
5-31-99 Mom peed on a stick. She got very excited. I am not sure what implications this has for my life.
8-31-99 Mom must have quit her job or something. She's home all day every day now. Dad better keep working. I like to eat!
10-1-99 Agua ran away today. I hope it wasn't something I said.
10-2-99 I heard word of Agua's untimely death. Such a young lad, so many years ahead of him.
11-30-99 Forest escaped the house today. And got ran over by a truck. From this day forward, I will spend (almost) all of my days indoors. Outside is just too scary! This is now a one cat house.
2-14-00 Mom has disappeared. I hope it has something to do with removing that watermelon she has grown in her belly.
2-21-00 The watermelon has returned with Mom. It makes a terrible noise.
10-1-00 Our family has moved. We now live in a trailer on Grandma and Grandpa's lawn. They have just moved into their new log house. Oh, the scratching I could do there...
3-14-01 I am a hero. A fat rat tried to move in from the farm down the road. I served him with his eviction notice. ;)
4-1-01 I have given birth to the 4 most beautiful kittens in the world! If only I knew who their father was...
6-1-01 All of my children have grown and flown the coop. Now to get this body back in shape.
6-5-01 I went for a car ride today, and then a nap. I must have been robbed while I slept, for I no longer have claws. I don't think I will have any more kittens either.
9-1-01 We have moved again. Definitely a downgrade. Our whole family in one room at Valoo's house.
1-1-02 We moved AGAIN! This place is beautiful, with plenty of room for the four of us. I love to sit on the couch and watch the birds in our yard.
2-16-02 That squawling watermelon has grown and is not quite so bothersome anymore. I hope that never happens again!
8-1-02 We are moving again. Back to Grandma and Grandpa's again. Perhaps this is my destiny. Oh, and there is another kid now, but he is not here all the time. And he didn't start off as a watermelon.
10-15-02 Moving. Again. At least there is plenty of space here in this yellow apartment building. Plenty of catnip smoking college students, too. I wish they would share.
8-1-03 Story of my life. Moving again. Back to Grandma and Grandpa's, but in our own apartment this time.
1-14-04 Furnace broke during the coldest winter ever. Thank God for moving this time! Back in with Valoo while we look for a new home.
2-21-04 My family moved, but left me behind.
5-1-04 Mom says she's so sorry, and now I can come live with her again. Someday I will pee on her favorite shoes for that. This house is a lovely trailer in the country. And I do mean country. Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! There is a swamp behind our house and a bunch of giant fans in front.
5-19-04 I feel a need to explore the great outdoors. In fact, I think I will go on a month-long survival expedition in the swamp behind our house. Maybe I'll pop back in just as my funeral is being performed, covered in burdocks so sticky mom has to give me a hair cut.
6-20-04 Mom peed on another one of those sticks again. I sure hope it's not a sign of another watermelon.
7-31-04 Definitely another watermelon growing.
2-19-05 That watermelon is huge. And we are moving. Not sure how this is going to work out.
2-20-05 Mom is on her way to...somewhere. I think she's having kittens!
2-22-05 Nope, just one smelly watermelon. I don't know why she likes those noisy things.
4-30-06 Just living the life...it's good here.
5-15-06 I have a feeling...another watermelon. The second one isn't even grown yet!
2-9-07 Mom left in a terrible blizzard. It must be important. Like she wants to buy me some cat food?
2-10-07 Nope, just another watermelon. The biggest one yet! I wonder how many times this will happen. This house is filling up.
4-16-07 I've been put in kitty jail. I don't know why. All I did was pee on...everything. How else will I show my disgust with all of these children? I've heard this is the bathroom, and nothing terrifies me more. Don't they know cats don't like water??
8-23-07 Maybe it's not so bad here in the bathroom. The kids don't bother me and I get lovins every time someone has to pee.
10-13-07 Not feeling so well. I decide to go on a hunger strike and scare the crap out of Mom and Dad. Finally, they narrow it down to a tooth in an awkward position. Dad grabs his pliers, Mom wraps me up in a towel, and...problem solved. The best part? Wet cat food for a month!
12-27-07 Mom peed on another stick. Oh boy...here we go again.
7-20-08 My family appears to have left me. I don't know why and I don't know where. Occasionally a stranger comes and feeds me. I wish Mom would come home and change my stink box.
7-28-08 Mom was home for a little while. She forgot to take care of my stink box. I shall make a mess on the floor for her, now that I know she is alive and well. Hmpf.
8-1-08 Mom is home every night now. She cries when the kids go to bed. They all leave early every morning. I don't know where Dad went.
8-8-08 Dad is home. I think. It looks kind of like him. But all he does is lay in bed. Sometimes I can leave my prison to snuggle with him. I like that.
8-27-08 I hear the new watermelon is coming soon. This should be a trip.
8-29-08 This last watermelon is the worst one. She took over my snuggle spot on Dad!
2-1-09 My 10th birthday! Guess what Mom and Dad got me? Two puppies to boss around. Yay. :S
4-30-09 I can't figure it out. Dad keeps going away to be "fixed up" and comes back in much worse shape. You'd think they would figure that out and stop taking him there. I can't even snuggle him any more. Darn pups...
7-05-10 It has come to my attention that I have a boring life. That's okay. I like it here in the bathroom. It's a great life, you know...eat, sleep, leave hairballs all over Mom's towels, occasionally and randomly puke all over...it's great!
8-1-10 We had two temporary houseguests. Cute little whippersnappers they were. Reminded me of my own children. I wonder why they never bring the grandkids to visit. Our visitors didn't stay long. :(
7-13-12 I am sick. Sick and tired. I'm 13 years old, what do you want from me?
7-18-12 I think I might die. I hope I have lived my life well.
7-19-12 I saw a vet today. He gave me a shot that should help me regain my youth. I don't think so though. I am so very tired. I want to sleep forever. I have to wait for Mom to go to sleep first. I can't bear to hear her cry again. I will miss her.
7-20-12 When I woke up, I saw the most wonderful thing! I now live in a mansion. I think I'm waiting for Mom to join me. She's going to like it here. And...there are no stink boxes here!
RIP, sweet Coon-Coon. You lived a good life.
 |
| That last watermelon turned out to be alright, after all. |
Monday, July 30, 2012
My Wild Girl
Hannah is my wild little country girl.
We go to Grandma's and she stalks garter snakes that frequent Grandma's flower garden.
She has found and captured 5 caterpillars just today. We'll keep two of those and hopefully watch them turn into butterflies! The other three were tent caterpillars and are now deceased.
She can spot a tiny little turtle from a mile away (okay, maybe that is an exaggeration...).
She has a "toad of the day" club going on, then releases them every night and catching a new one the next day. Or it could be the same one again, I suppose, because I don't want to admit there could be that many toads on less than an acre.
I love you, Nature Girl.
We go to Grandma's and she stalks garter snakes that frequent Grandma's flower garden.
She has found and captured 5 caterpillars just today. We'll keep two of those and hopefully watch them turn into butterflies! The other three were tent caterpillars and are now deceased.
She can spot a tiny little turtle from a mile away (okay, maybe that is an exaggeration...).
She has a "toad of the day" club going on, then releases them every night and catching a new one the next day. Or it could be the same one again, I suppose, because I don't want to admit there could be that many toads on less than an acre.
I love you, Nature Girl.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Tractorversary and other things...
These were the 5 repeated phrases from the VBS our church just finished:
Day 1: No matter who you are...trust God!
Day 2: No matter how you feel...trust God!
Day 3: No matter what people do...trust God!
Day 4: No matter what happens...trust God!
Day 5: No matter where you are...trust God!
Do you see a common theme there? ;) I was a crew leader (aka helper) in the preschool. I felt kind of obligated to be there because both of my kids were there and one of them is a super duper handful (take a wild guess...starts with an L). It was (mostly) a good time though and I was very often reminded that I need to trust God with every tiny detail in my life. All of them. Just trust Him.
You wouldn't think trust would be such a hard thing. After all, God has never ever ever proven Himself untrustworthy in my life. In the past, every hard thing, even the really terrible things, have been used by God for my good. I can see it, looking back. Why then, is it so very difficult to see the good in the "now" hard things? I guess it's all a matter of faith, of constantly choosing to see the end result is going to be good...even when what I see now is terribly hard and definitely not good.
The 4th tractor-versary of Brian's accident was last Friday. I meant to post something here that day, but it was the last day of VBS. And my 13 year old cat died the night before. And I had a massive headache all day from a "flying truck" incident at Day 4 VBS. So...I let the day go by, just trying to hold on and get through it. Which I did, in case you're wondering.
I've come to realize that for Brian and I, life will always be split into two sections...before and after. I've also come to realize that, except for those who are very close to us, other people don't see our lives that way. For them, 4 years is long enough that Brian just "is" the way he is. The accident is water that has long ago passed under the bridge. There is no then and now, no before and after. I think they don't even remember him/us before. They don't live it every day, so I can't really blame them.
But I remember.
I remember a father who loved to hike off trails with his kids.
I remember a father who could kick or throw a ball without pain.
I remember a father who could relieve me every night, even after he worked all day.
I remember a father who would climb the stairs every night and put the kids to bed.
I remember a father who rough-housed with the kids, rolling on the floor with them, roaring with laughter.
Some of my kids don't and won't remember that dad. I am glad they still *have* a dad. Don't get me wrong. But it breaks my heart to think of all the "can't dos".
I remember a Paul Bunyan of a man...logging and cutting up our heat for the winter.
I remember a man who liked to rollerblade and ride a bike.
I remember a husband who could go for a walk around the block.
I remember a husband who wasn't afraid of anything.
I remember a man who really didn't know what pain was.
God has done great and amazing things in our life since the accident. And yet...so much is left undone still, even 4 years later. I never imagined we would be floating in limbo this long, not sure of what to do or where to go next.
I would have though by now, God, You would have reached down, and wiped our tears away.
God is still good. Life is still good, even if it takes a little longer to find the good. We will make it through this, even if "this" is the rest of our lives, as it appears to be. I must daily choose to trust the One Who knows my name, the One Who sees my hurt, the One Who loves me. There really is no other option, besides despair.
Day 1: No matter who you are...trust God!
Day 2: No matter how you feel...trust God!
Day 3: No matter what people do...trust God!
Day 4: No matter what happens...trust God!
Day 5: No matter where you are...trust God!
Do you see a common theme there? ;) I was a crew leader (aka helper) in the preschool. I felt kind of obligated to be there because both of my kids were there and one of them is a super duper handful (take a wild guess...starts with an L). It was (mostly) a good time though and I was very often reminded that I need to trust God with every tiny detail in my life. All of them. Just trust Him.
You wouldn't think trust would be such a hard thing. After all, God has never ever ever proven Himself untrustworthy in my life. In the past, every hard thing, even the really terrible things, have been used by God for my good. I can see it, looking back. Why then, is it so very difficult to see the good in the "now" hard things? I guess it's all a matter of faith, of constantly choosing to see the end result is going to be good...even when what I see now is terribly hard and definitely not good.
The 4th tractor-versary of Brian's accident was last Friday. I meant to post something here that day, but it was the last day of VBS. And my 13 year old cat died the night before. And I had a massive headache all day from a "flying truck" incident at Day 4 VBS. So...I let the day go by, just trying to hold on and get through it. Which I did, in case you're wondering.
I've come to realize that for Brian and I, life will always be split into two sections...before and after. I've also come to realize that, except for those who are very close to us, other people don't see our lives that way. For them, 4 years is long enough that Brian just "is" the way he is. The accident is water that has long ago passed under the bridge. There is no then and now, no before and after. I think they don't even remember him/us before. They don't live it every day, so I can't really blame them.
But I remember.
I remember a father who loved to hike off trails with his kids.
I remember a father who could kick or throw a ball without pain.
I remember a father who could relieve me every night, even after he worked all day.
I remember a father who would climb the stairs every night and put the kids to bed.
I remember a father who rough-housed with the kids, rolling on the floor with them, roaring with laughter.
Some of my kids don't and won't remember that dad. I am glad they still *have* a dad. Don't get me wrong. But it breaks my heart to think of all the "can't dos".
I remember a Paul Bunyan of a man...logging and cutting up our heat for the winter.
I remember a man who liked to rollerblade and ride a bike.
I remember a husband who could go for a walk around the block.
I remember a husband who wasn't afraid of anything.
I remember a man who really didn't know what pain was.
God has done great and amazing things in our life since the accident. And yet...so much is left undone still, even 4 years later. I never imagined we would be floating in limbo this long, not sure of what to do or where to go next.
I would have though by now, God, You would have reached down, and wiped our tears away.
God is still good. Life is still good, even if it takes a little longer to find the good. We will make it through this, even if "this" is the rest of our lives, as it appears to be. I must daily choose to trust the One Who knows my name, the One Who sees my hurt, the One Who loves me. There really is no other option, besides despair.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Through the fence
A conversation overheard between Levi and the next door neighbor (7 yo), through the fence...
Levi: Hey, you know why I'm home all the time now?
Neighbor: No, why?
Levi: It's because I'm homeschooled now. So I'll be home always. Except when I leave.
Neighbor: Actually, it's summer break. That's why you're home. And I'm home.
Levi: Really??
Uh-oh. I may now be in trouble for having him do school work when it's supposed to be summer. LOL
Levi: Hey, you know why I'm home all the time now?
Neighbor: No, why?
Levi: It's because I'm homeschooled now. So I'll be home always. Except when I leave.
Neighbor: Actually, it's summer break. That's why you're home. And I'm home.
Levi: Really??
Uh-oh. I may now be in trouble for having him do school work when it's supposed to be summer. LOL
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Under the stars
Essie: Hey, Momma...look at all those stars!
Me: I see! Can you count them?
Essie: Yep. 1, 2, 3, ... 26. 26, Mom.
Me: There are way more you can't see right now. God knows how many!
Essie: I'm going to put one in my pocket.
Me: Ookaaaay?
Essie: And put it in my underwear drawer.
She sure is cute though. :)
Me: I see! Can you count them?
Essie: Yep. 1, 2, 3, ... 26. 26, Mom.
Me: There are way more you can't see right now. God knows how many!
Essie: I'm going to put one in my pocket.
Me: Ookaaaay?
Essie: And put it in my underwear drawer.
She sure is cute though. :)
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
The Simple Woman's Daybook...June
Something a little different today...
(Join in by visiting The Simple Woman's Daybook )
Outside my window...the breeze is blowing and trees wave hello. The sky is a light blue with long, wispy clouds.
I am thinking...about forgiveness, how hard it is, and how I long to be free of the pain I have been carrying.
I am thankful...for a God whose mercies are new EVERY morning. Even if I mess up badly, each day is a new day.
In the kitchen...strawberry shortcake. Mmmmm...
I am going...to take Levi to the eye doctor in a little while. We will see if we need to continue this patching business. Also going to mow the lawn today.
I am wondering...how this new school year is going to go, with all 4 kids at home, and if I really have what it takes to do this well.
I am reading...If I Gained the World by Linda Nichols. Age of Opportunity by Paul David Tripp is next on my list.
I am hoping...for God to show us the way He has for us to go, one step at a time.
I am looking forward to...enjoying my kids all summer long. Lots of swimming, hiking, picnics, and being with friends.
I am learning...to listen more than I speak. I hope I am learning this, anyway...
Around the house...we are working on clutter and getting rid of things we don't need or use.
One of my favorite things...reading on the porch on a day just like today, while the kids play peacefully on the swings and sandbox. The little things are to be cherished and savored. They are what make life worth living.
A few plans for the rest of the week...Noah's post-op appointment tomorrow, a friend is coming over with her kids, hopefully some family time Friday. Nothing big...and I like it that way.
(Join in by visiting The Simple Woman's Daybook )
Outside my window...the breeze is blowing and trees wave hello. The sky is a light blue with long, wispy clouds.
I am thinking...about forgiveness, how hard it is, and how I long to be free of the pain I have been carrying.
I am thankful...for a God whose mercies are new EVERY morning. Even if I mess up badly, each day is a new day.
In the kitchen...strawberry shortcake. Mmmmm...
I am going...to take Levi to the eye doctor in a little while. We will see if we need to continue this patching business. Also going to mow the lawn today.
I am wondering...how this new school year is going to go, with all 4 kids at home, and if I really have what it takes to do this well.
I am reading...If I Gained the World by Linda Nichols. Age of Opportunity by Paul David Tripp is next on my list.
I am hoping...for God to show us the way He has for us to go, one step at a time.
I am looking forward to...enjoying my kids all summer long. Lots of swimming, hiking, picnics, and being with friends.
I am learning...to listen more than I speak. I hope I am learning this, anyway...
Around the house...we are working on clutter and getting rid of things we don't need or use.
One of my favorite things...reading on the porch on a day just like today, while the kids play peacefully on the swings and sandbox. The little things are to be cherished and savored. They are what make life worth living.
A few plans for the rest of the week...Noah's post-op appointment tomorrow, a friend is coming over with her kids, hopefully some family time Friday. Nothing big...and I like it that way.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
I'll walk with you
It's something I have noticed about myself for years. Something I am not proud of. Something that makes me heartsick whenever it happens. Something I always say I'm going to keep watch of and not do any more.
I walk ahead of my husband.
I know, it doesn't seem like a major infraction, a sin worthy of guilt and shame. But for me, it is.
Right after Brian's accident, I was always behind him pushing his wheelchair, or next to him, if he was propelling himself as he liked to do when he was able to use both arms. This was nearly a year. When he advanced to crutches, I struggled to keep up, he got so fast! This was over a year. And then...his leg finally healed and he learned to walk, first with a cane, and then with nothing but a lift in his shoe to adjust for the leg length discrepancy.
Now...he is slow. Very slow. On top of that, he has to stop and rest often because his back and leg hurt so badly. And so my problem began. I blamed the children for a while, because I needed to keep up with the little ones to make sure they were safe. This was true, but I would notice it when Brian and I were out alone also. It was painful for me to lumber along with Brian. Not physically painful, but emotionally difficult to realize that for some reason I do not understand, my husband is forever called to a slower pace of life now. Brian has no choice but to accept this slower pace, but I, with my undying need to sprint ahead and plan out all of life, have had a harder time with acceptance.
I do not like to see him struggle. I especially cannot stand this thought that his difficulties (aka disabilities) are permanent. Forever. At least until the next life, when we receive our new, perfect bodies in Heaven. I don't know whether "forever" will be one more week or 60 more years. I do know that the one I love, the one who is a part of myself, is stuck in his body as it is. I, however, am not stuck with him. I could walk away, walk so far ahead that we are no longer together. I can walk away from the struggle of his "new" body. He can't. I won't. I won't leave my other half to walk alone. Figuratively or literally.
And so, I must learn to walk beside my Brian. I must choose to take life at a slower pace. I must even teach my children to slow down, so their Dad doesn't miss so much of what they have to share. Someday though, our children will have lives of their own. I hope they still choose to spend some time slowing down with Dad. I hope I still choose to walk beside my Love.
Slowing down means...smelling more roses. Enjoying more of the beauty in the world. Enjoying each other. Being thankful for the little things in life. Letting the little things be enough. Thanking God that He knows what is best for us. Trusting God for the grace for each day to come.
I walk ahead of my husband.
I know, it doesn't seem like a major infraction, a sin worthy of guilt and shame. But for me, it is.
Right after Brian's accident, I was always behind him pushing his wheelchair, or next to him, if he was propelling himself as he liked to do when he was able to use both arms. This was nearly a year. When he advanced to crutches, I struggled to keep up, he got so fast! This was over a year. And then...his leg finally healed and he learned to walk, first with a cane, and then with nothing but a lift in his shoe to adjust for the leg length discrepancy.
Now...he is slow. Very slow. On top of that, he has to stop and rest often because his back and leg hurt so badly. And so my problem began. I blamed the children for a while, because I needed to keep up with the little ones to make sure they were safe. This was true, but I would notice it when Brian and I were out alone also. It was painful for me to lumber along with Brian. Not physically painful, but emotionally difficult to realize that for some reason I do not understand, my husband is forever called to a slower pace of life now. Brian has no choice but to accept this slower pace, but I, with my undying need to sprint ahead and plan out all of life, have had a harder time with acceptance.
I do not like to see him struggle. I especially cannot stand this thought that his difficulties (aka disabilities) are permanent. Forever. At least until the next life, when we receive our new, perfect bodies in Heaven. I don't know whether "forever" will be one more week or 60 more years. I do know that the one I love, the one who is a part of myself, is stuck in his body as it is. I, however, am not stuck with him. I could walk away, walk so far ahead that we are no longer together. I can walk away from the struggle of his "new" body. He can't. I won't. I won't leave my other half to walk alone. Figuratively or literally.
And so, I must learn to walk beside my Brian. I must choose to take life at a slower pace. I must even teach my children to slow down, so their Dad doesn't miss so much of what they have to share. Someday though, our children will have lives of their own. I hope they still choose to spend some time slowing down with Dad. I hope I still choose to walk beside my Love.
Slowing down means...smelling more roses. Enjoying more of the beauty in the world. Enjoying each other. Being thankful for the little things in life. Letting the little things be enough. Thanking God that He knows what is best for us. Trusting God for the grace for each day to come.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
It takes a Daddy to raise a child
Father's day interview...
Esther, age 3.5
What is your favorite thing to do with Daddy? Help him on the computer.
What do you do that makes Daddy happy? Clean up.
How do you know Daddy loves you? Cuz he hugs me.
What is Daddy’s job? Type in the computer.
How old is Daddy? 18
What is Daddy's favorite food? Ribs.
Levi, age 5
What do you love most about Daddy? He tastes good.
What is your favorite thing to do with Daddy? Go fishing.
What do you do that makes Daddy happy? Obey.
How do you know Daddy loves you? Cuz he does something that I like.
What is Daddy’s job? To keep us safe.
How old is Daddy? 15. Or maybe 78.
What is Daddy's favorite food? Hamburgers.
Hannah, age 7
What do you love most about Daddy? He loves me.
What is your favorite thing to do with Daddy? Go fishing.
What do you do that makes Daddy happy? Obey.
How do you know Daddy loves you? He helps me get things I can't reach.
What is Daddy’s job? He drives a truck. A big truck.
How old is Daddy? 39
What is Daddy's favorite food? Ribs.
Noah, age 12
What do you love most about Daddy? His awesomeness.
What is your favorite thing to do with Daddy? Fishing.
What do you do that makes Daddy happy? Put away his tools.
How do you know Daddy loves you? He takes me special places.
What is Daddy’s job? Mechanic.
How old is Daddy? 32
What is Daddy's favorite food? Steak.
Esther, age 3.5
What is your favorite thing to do with Daddy? Help him on the computer.
What do you do that makes Daddy happy? Clean up.
How do you know Daddy loves you? Cuz he hugs me.
What is Daddy’s job? Type in the computer.
How old is Daddy? 18
What is Daddy's favorite food? Ribs.
Levi, age 5
What do you love most about Daddy? He tastes good.
What is your favorite thing to do with Daddy? Go fishing.
What do you do that makes Daddy happy? Obey.
How do you know Daddy loves you? Cuz he does something that I like.
What is Daddy’s job? To keep us safe.
How old is Daddy? 15. Or maybe 78.
What is Daddy's favorite food? Hamburgers.
Hannah, age 7
What do you love most about Daddy? He loves me.
What is your favorite thing to do with Daddy? Go fishing.
What do you do that makes Daddy happy? Obey.
How do you know Daddy loves you? He helps me get things I can't reach.
What is Daddy’s job? He drives a truck. A big truck.
How old is Daddy? 39
What is Daddy's favorite food? Ribs.
Noah, age 12
What do you love most about Daddy? His awesomeness.
What is your favorite thing to do with Daddy? Fishing.
What do you do that makes Daddy happy? Put away his tools.
How do you know Daddy loves you? He takes me special places.
What is Daddy’s job? Mechanic.
How old is Daddy? 32
What is Daddy's favorite food? Steak.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Sandbox conversations: Where is Heaven?
E: Maybe on the roof?
L: Way higher, Essie.
E: Maybe at the moon?
L: Maybe. We can go there someday, if we love Jesus in our hearts.
E: Yeah, we should do that...
L: Way higher, Essie.
E: Maybe at the moon?
L: Maybe. We can go there someday, if we love Jesus in our hearts.
E: Yeah, we should do that...
Monday, June 4, 2012
Homeschool conference
The last time I went to the upstate NY homeschool conference, I didn't know I had two kiddos with special needs. I didn't have a broken husband either. A whole lot of "life" has happened since then.
This year, Brian, Noah, and I went. I wanted Noah's input on his curriculum, and the conference has a Teen Track, with workshops for the 12 and up crowd.
Some things I learned...
* There are a LOT of parents taking charge over their special need's kid's schooling!
* My "little" boy does pretty well in a crowd of people he doesn't know. I don't think he talked to his peers much, and there was no talk of emails or addresses exchanged. But he sat through each session, near the front, and even took notes so he could tell me what they were about later on! For a momma with a "tough kid"...this was all amazing. Very proud of my boy!
* My husband is not the man I married. This is a good thing. ;) He is amazing and his near constant high spirits humble me. He's always been one to agree with whatever I chose, but this time, when I asked for his input on what math curriculum to get and which literature packets to get...he gave me well thought out input! I went with his ideas there, of course!
* God sets up some really cool meetings. I met a lady with a son with very similar issues to Noah...same age, too! We picked out spelling curriculum together and exchanged email addresses. Brian met several people who had been in car accidents or who had knee replacements. Nearly everyone asked Brian what happened to him, since he was on crutches. What an encouragement so many people were to us, and what FAITH so many have! God is good...
* We need to go at least every other year, if not every year. It's not about finding curriculum, though that is why we went this year. It's about knowing that we're not alone. Realizing that there are others who have very real struggles, just like us. Being encouraged and convinced that each of us has the power, in Christ, to keep moving forward in whatever journey God has called us to.
This year, Brian, Noah, and I went. I wanted Noah's input on his curriculum, and the conference has a Teen Track, with workshops for the 12 and up crowd.
Some things I learned...
* There are a LOT of parents taking charge over their special need's kid's schooling!
* My "little" boy does pretty well in a crowd of people he doesn't know. I don't think he talked to his peers much, and there was no talk of emails or addresses exchanged. But he sat through each session, near the front, and even took notes so he could tell me what they were about later on! For a momma with a "tough kid"...this was all amazing. Very proud of my boy!
* My husband is not the man I married. This is a good thing. ;) He is amazing and his near constant high spirits humble me. He's always been one to agree with whatever I chose, but this time, when I asked for his input on what math curriculum to get and which literature packets to get...he gave me well thought out input! I went with his ideas there, of course!
* God sets up some really cool meetings. I met a lady with a son with very similar issues to Noah...same age, too! We picked out spelling curriculum together and exchanged email addresses. Brian met several people who had been in car accidents or who had knee replacements. Nearly everyone asked Brian what happened to him, since he was on crutches. What an encouragement so many people were to us, and what FAITH so many have! God is good...
* We need to go at least every other year, if not every year. It's not about finding curriculum, though that is why we went this year. It's about knowing that we're not alone. Realizing that there are others who have very real struggles, just like us. Being encouraged and convinced that each of us has the power, in Christ, to keep moving forward in whatever journey God has called us to.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
ADHD musings
Levi has two official diagnoses...ADHD and SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder). We are close to an Asperger's diagnosis for him, but that may take a bit to sort out because he is only 5. I think it's just a matter of time before that official diagnosis.
But...I find myself questioning the ADHD for the past couple of weeks. I decided to not give him his meds while we were camping two weekends ago, and he did so well that I haven't given them since. Is he still a wild man? Yep. But what I am seeing makes me think this has more to do with the SPD and his near constant state of sensory overload than it does with ADHD. I think ADHD is just so common and "understood", that it's an easier diagnosis to give than any version of ASD (autism spectrum disorder).
The biggest change? Very little crying and whining in the evenings. This is the second ADHD medication that I was able to link to that in Levi. No more. We're done. I will learn to deal with Levi as Levi needs. We will work on his diet. We will pay close attention to his sensory needs and try to head off problems before they begin.
We will love and train up our child with the understanding that God has created him as an amazing individual. If he needs to jump 14,389 times a day...that's perfectly okay. :)
But...I find myself questioning the ADHD for the past couple of weeks. I decided to not give him his meds while we were camping two weekends ago, and he did so well that I haven't given them since. Is he still a wild man? Yep. But what I am seeing makes me think this has more to do with the SPD and his near constant state of sensory overload than it does with ADHD. I think ADHD is just so common and "understood", that it's an easier diagnosis to give than any version of ASD (autism spectrum disorder).
The biggest change? Very little crying and whining in the evenings. This is the second ADHD medication that I was able to link to that in Levi. No more. We're done. I will learn to deal with Levi as Levi needs. We will work on his diet. We will pay close attention to his sensory needs and try to head off problems before they begin.
We will love and train up our child with the understanding that God has created him as an amazing individual. If he needs to jump 14,389 times a day...that's perfectly okay. :)
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Mother's Day weekend
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| We played. |
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| We played rodeo seesaw...Yee-Haw! |
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| We hiked...Moms only! |
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| We ate...and ate...and ate... |
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| We got really nervous about how far away an ER was. |
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| We played. |
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| They rode many miles. |
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| We laughed. And loved. |
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| We got a good picture of Brian (a miracle). |
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| We "squatted" little girls in the grass. :P |
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| We visited the Olympic Center. |
We missed this kid...
But we did not cry on this trip.
It's okay to move on.
It's okay to be a family of 6.
We will always love you, Nicolas.
And we will live, laugh, and love as the family that remains.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Why would I?
It's been asked several times....why would we want to move away from here if we don't have to? Why would anyone leave the place they have lived for 30 out of 32 years? (I spent a year in Rochester, NY, and almost a year in Central PA.)
Why do we need to stay? Must what always has been, always be? Of course we love our family and friends, and we will miss a lot of things we enjoy by living so close to those we love. I don't think that means we shouldn't go.
We live in a big, magnificent country and I have never been farther west than Corinth, Mississippi and Memphis, Tennessee. I want to see new things, meet new people, and do new things.
I want my husband to have better weather for his bones, because NY winter is really hard on him, though this year we had the most mild winter I can remember in my lifetime.
Trucking jobs are everywhere. Accounting jobs are everywhere. My husband could transfer within his same company and drive out of Bedford, Indiana. Indiana happens to have fantastic homeschool law, which is a definite plus.
I don't know where we'll land, but I know that we're both itching to go and have been for years. I want to take a risk. I want to *live*. I want my kids to know there is more to this world than upstate NY. It will be hard to leave, I know. But it will be good.
What's the worst thing that could happen? We hate it and move back this way?
Why do we need to stay? Must what always has been, always be? Of course we love our family and friends, and we will miss a lot of things we enjoy by living so close to those we love. I don't think that means we shouldn't go.
We live in a big, magnificent country and I have never been farther west than Corinth, Mississippi and Memphis, Tennessee. I want to see new things, meet new people, and do new things.
I want my husband to have better weather for his bones, because NY winter is really hard on him, though this year we had the most mild winter I can remember in my lifetime.
Trucking jobs are everywhere. Accounting jobs are everywhere. My husband could transfer within his same company and drive out of Bedford, Indiana. Indiana happens to have fantastic homeschool law, which is a definite plus.
I don't know where we'll land, but I know that we're both itching to go and have been for years. I want to take a risk. I want to *live*. I want my kids to know there is more to this world than upstate NY. It will be hard to leave, I know. But it will be good.
What's the worst thing that could happen? We hate it and move back this way?
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Roses
But it is always a good thing to stop and smell the roses. :)
My sweetie had these delivered yesterday. Twenty-four butterfly roses. Now my husband is not usually the most demonstrative romantic there is. That only makes this lovely bunch of fragrant flowers even more wonderful.
It's wonderful to be loved. And to be shown love, even when he can't be home with us every day.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Wisdom?
After fighting with my wisdom teeth over a period of 5 years, they finally came all the way through and stayed there. Before that, they were up/down/up/down, causing lots of irritation and pain every time they decided to change position. But they did come in, all four of them!
I had 2 teeth that were broken and needed to be pulled. Having a moderate level of dental anxiety, I asked them to put me out to pull them. They wouldn't do it for those two teeth. But...but...I had been told a couple of years before that my wisdom teeth needed to come out, and *those* they would put me under for. So, I decided...2? 6? What's the difference?
Hahahahaha.
10 days later, the two teeth that absolutely had to go are fully healed and don't hurt at all. The top wisdom teeth are giving me only minor pain. And the bottom wisdom teeth? Well, I feel like I was punched in the jaw repeatedly, on both sides.
It's been TEN days! Good grief, Charlie Brown.
I think I should have just done the two and been done with it. :( I'd say never again, but...well...I sure hope they won't grow back. LOL
I had 2 teeth that were broken and needed to be pulled. Having a moderate level of dental anxiety, I asked them to put me out to pull them. They wouldn't do it for those two teeth. But...but...I had been told a couple of years before that my wisdom teeth needed to come out, and *those* they would put me under for. So, I decided...2? 6? What's the difference?
Hahahahaha.
10 days later, the two teeth that absolutely had to go are fully healed and don't hurt at all. The top wisdom teeth are giving me only minor pain. And the bottom wisdom teeth? Well, I feel like I was punched in the jaw repeatedly, on both sides.
It's been TEN days! Good grief, Charlie Brown.
I think I should have just done the two and been done with it. :( I'd say never again, but...well...I sure hope they won't grow back. LOL
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Sackcloth Saturday
Maundy Thursday...Jesus' last meal with the disciples.
Good Friday...the day Jesus gave every last ounce of life for you and I. He didn't just die. He suffered. He didn't just suffer. He suffered on MY behalf. On your behalf. He suffered for nothing he did and took everything we deserved upon himself.
And then there's Resurrection Sunday...when the power of God, Who is Love, defeated the grave. This gives us hope for the future, knowing that by the same Christ, we also will defeat the grave.
But what about Saturday? No one talks about Saturday. Saturday must have been a day of absolute confusion and despair. Let's call it Sad Saturday, knowing that "sad" doesn't even come close to the emotions of that day. Or, maybe closer...Sackcloth Saturday. Despair, without hope. The end. Even Jesus had said, "It is finished," hadn't He?
Except, it wasn't over. The disciples didn't know Resurrection Sunday was on the way. The women who adored Jesus didn't understand what was about to happen.
Sometimes...the dark is deepest right before the dawn. That's why we must HOLD ON through the 'sackcloth Saturdays' in our lives. Sunday IS. on. the. way.
Good Friday...the day Jesus gave every last ounce of life for you and I. He didn't just die. He suffered. He didn't just suffer. He suffered on MY behalf. On your behalf. He suffered for nothing he did and took everything we deserved upon himself.
And then there's Resurrection Sunday...when the power of God, Who is Love, defeated the grave. This gives us hope for the future, knowing that by the same Christ, we also will defeat the grave.
But what about Saturday? No one talks about Saturday. Saturday must have been a day of absolute confusion and despair. Let's call it Sad Saturday, knowing that "sad" doesn't even come close to the emotions of that day. Or, maybe closer...Sackcloth Saturday. Despair, without hope. The end. Even Jesus had said, "It is finished," hadn't He?
Except, it wasn't over. The disciples didn't know Resurrection Sunday was on the way. The women who adored Jesus didn't understand what was about to happen.
Sometimes...the dark is deepest right before the dawn. That's why we must HOLD ON through the 'sackcloth Saturdays' in our lives. Sunday IS. on. the. way.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Mixed-up Grieving
Grieving is strange. You start out grieving one thing, usually the obvious thing. In this case, the loss of someone you loved. But then you find that you are grieving so much more.
Brian's dad is gone. He died three weeks ago today, laying in his bed, watching TV. We had almost a year warning, as he was diagnosed with terminal cancer in his tongue and mouth last year. You're still never ready to lose a parent, and no one realized he was as close as he was to meeting Jesus.
Complicating that grief is...knowing that the turmoil-filled relationship Brian and his dad had when he was a child mirrors the relationship Brian has with Nick, in a lot of ways. It's pretty eerie, actually. Oh, how we love and miss that boy...but the decision we made was what is best for all of us. I hope someday he will understand. Brian did come to understand why his dad "gave up" on him, many years later. I still remember the day Brian's dad sobbed while he told Brian he was sorry for all that happened. I'm glad he had that chance.
Brian is doing the same job his dad did for 23 years...driving a truck. I hope that is a comfort to him, but it is so hard on us here at home. The kids need him. I need him. And he needs us. But a man's got to do what a man's got to do...
And then there is the accident crap. We're sneaking up on four years. FOUR YEARS. It's really hard to believe it's been that long. On the other hand, it seems this has been our life forever now. I find myself not focusing so much on what once was, with just the occasional glimpse back to what we didn't know was a simpler time.
All of these things are all balled up in one big ball of grief. There are so many days it is just one foot in front of the other for us. Most days are that way for me lately. We'll keep moving forward though. There's not really another option.
Our hope is in the One Who knows how it will all come together for good...
Brian's dad is gone. He died three weeks ago today, laying in his bed, watching TV. We had almost a year warning, as he was diagnosed with terminal cancer in his tongue and mouth last year. You're still never ready to lose a parent, and no one realized he was as close as he was to meeting Jesus.
Complicating that grief is...knowing that the turmoil-filled relationship Brian and his dad had when he was a child mirrors the relationship Brian has with Nick, in a lot of ways. It's pretty eerie, actually. Oh, how we love and miss that boy...but the decision we made was what is best for all of us. I hope someday he will understand. Brian did come to understand why his dad "gave up" on him, many years later. I still remember the day Brian's dad sobbed while he told Brian he was sorry for all that happened. I'm glad he had that chance.
Brian is doing the same job his dad did for 23 years...driving a truck. I hope that is a comfort to him, but it is so hard on us here at home. The kids need him. I need him. And he needs us. But a man's got to do what a man's got to do...
And then there is the accident crap. We're sneaking up on four years. FOUR YEARS. It's really hard to believe it's been that long. On the other hand, it seems this has been our life forever now. I find myself not focusing so much on what once was, with just the occasional glimpse back to what we didn't know was a simpler time.
All of these things are all balled up in one big ball of grief. There are so many days it is just one foot in front of the other for us. Most days are that way for me lately. We'll keep moving forward though. There's not really another option.
Our hope is in the One Who knows how it will all come together for good...
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Trainwreck
Don't you hate when you can see the train coming and know it's going to wreck...and there's not a darn thing you can do to stop it?
He should have been able to say goodbye...
Cancer sucks.
He should have been able to say goodbye...
Cancer sucks.
Stalked
Yeah, I know it's a public blog.
But seriously?
Oh wait, I should introduce my watchers...
Hey, everyone (all 4 of you :P), meet TractorMan's lawyer.
Nothing to see here, TractorMan and his lawyer. You won't find anything that trips us up or shows us to be liars. Because we're not.
Since you want to know, let me tell you all about my SuperMan...
You see, my husband may be back to work, but he is still in pain every flipping day of his life. All day. Every day. He works because he's a real man, who takes his responsibilities to his family very seriously. So seriously that even though it meant he had to be away from us every week, all week, and sleep in a bunk in his truck, he took a job. Because that's what good men do, as long as they can. And he couldn't get anything local because everything local involved loading and unloading. He worked local for almost 5 years before the accident. So thanks for that. Really, my kids thank you that Daddy has to tuck them in over the phone. I thank you too. His dad died two weeks ago and we get to grieve together over the phone. It's great. You should try it. He gets to be home 8 days a month, if he's lucky. But it pays the bills...and we are thankful for the job and his ability to work. For now. Because I can tell you right now that it ain't gonna last forever. You know, that pesky "broke half my body" pain all day and night thing.
He's a good man. He's honest as the day is long...anyone who knows him will tell you he's actually too honest. He loves God, loves his wife (that would be me), loves his kids, loves his church, loves his friends...he even tries to love his enemies and probably does a better job at it then I do. You'd be lucky to know him. He's a good guy.
I think if you've got enough time on your hands to follow me around here and to demand my facebook information (nothing to see there either...because DUH, there's nothing to see...who the heck would fake this? And how exactly do you fake broken bones and 9 surgeries?)...you've got plenty of time to go suck on a rotten egg or a hairy terd or something. Make sure to look at all of my posts and my pictures as you do. Take special note of the ones in the album "Brian's accident". Two and a half years of putting Humpty-Dumpty back together again. Kind of.
Gosh, I'm sick of people...
But seriously?
Oh wait, I should introduce my watchers...
Hey, everyone (all 4 of you :P), meet TractorMan's lawyer.
Nothing to see here, TractorMan and his lawyer. You won't find anything that trips us up or shows us to be liars. Because we're not.
Since you want to know, let me tell you all about my SuperMan...
You see, my husband may be back to work, but he is still in pain every flipping day of his life. All day. Every day. He works because he's a real man, who takes his responsibilities to his family very seriously. So seriously that even though it meant he had to be away from us every week, all week, and sleep in a bunk in his truck, he took a job. Because that's what good men do, as long as they can. And he couldn't get anything local because everything local involved loading and unloading. He worked local for almost 5 years before the accident. So thanks for that. Really, my kids thank you that Daddy has to tuck them in over the phone. I thank you too. His dad died two weeks ago and we get to grieve together over the phone. It's great. You should try it. He gets to be home 8 days a month, if he's lucky. But it pays the bills...and we are thankful for the job and his ability to work. For now. Because I can tell you right now that it ain't gonna last forever. You know, that pesky "broke half my body" pain all day and night thing.
He's a good man. He's honest as the day is long...anyone who knows him will tell you he's actually too honest. He loves God, loves his wife (that would be me), loves his kids, loves his church, loves his friends...he even tries to love his enemies and probably does a better job at it then I do. You'd be lucky to know him. He's a good guy.
I think if you've got enough time on your hands to follow me around here and to demand my facebook information (nothing to see there either...because DUH, there's nothing to see...who the heck would fake this? And how exactly do you fake broken bones and 9 surgeries?)...you've got plenty of time to go suck on a rotten egg or a hairy terd or something. Make sure to look at all of my posts and my pictures as you do. Take special note of the ones in the album "Brian's accident". Two and a half years of putting Humpty-Dumpty back together again. Kind of.
Gosh, I'm sick of people...
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Avoidance
I've been neglecting writing here. I know it. I've been back several times, started to type, and then closed the tab and moved onto something else. There is so much I want to write that I'm lost as to where to start. And I think I'm scared to start because I'm not sure I can do justice to the words that race in elaborate designs in my mind.
I'm also avoiding acknowledging and dealing with some things. But is it really avoiding if you admit you're avoiding it? I don't know. I know I need to stop avoiding these things though. So I promise to be back soon and actually have something to say. Come chase me down if I "forget", okay? Thanks!
I'm also avoiding acknowledging and dealing with some things. But is it really avoiding if you admit you're avoiding it? I don't know. I know I need to stop avoiding these things though. So I promise to be back soon and actually have something to say. Come chase me down if I "forget", okay? Thanks!
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
TWELVE?!?!
Dear Noah,
Tonight, as I labor over your devil's food cupcakes with penuche frosting (okay, the laboring only involves the frosting...but it's worth it!), I ponder another labor...12 years ago.
I'm not really sure how it got to be that many years. I guess time just keeps marching forward, as they say. But on that night, February 15, 2000, I knew my life was about to change. I had no idea how it would change or how wonderful being a mom would be...and how hard it would be.
I thought that labor was hard. It wasn't. Not really, compared with a lifetime of parenting (I really don't have hopes of stopping my "labors" over you when you turn 18...just the nature of being a mom, I guess!).
This labor of growing a baby into a man, this path that stretches before us...I often don't know where to put my foot next. And I mess this mom thing up all the time, stumbling and making a mess of things on a near daily basis. I hope that in time, as you grow into an adult, you'll forgive me and better understand how much I have loved you through it all.
I loved you in the beginning. Your perfect little egg head with the blond tuft of hair. Your blue eyes like your Daddy. Your first words. Your first steps. You were just perfect, and I was determined to be the perfect mom!
I loved you as you grew. Watching you become a big brother, seeing how much you love babies. Seeing you learn new things every day. You weren't really perfect anymore though...and you weren't alone in that!
I love you now. Oh, I love you now more than ever, Noah Gregory! In the moments I want to tear my hair from my head...I love you. In the moments your sweet, gentle spirit shines through...I love you. In the moments that make me so proud to be your mom, and in the moments I'm pretty sure God didn't know what He was doing in giving you to me. Every moment of every day...I love you. I am nowhere near a perfect mom, but this one thing I do know...I love you.
This is such an awkward time in a boy's life, so I've read and been told. I haven't ever been a boy, so I don't really know. I think it's a time of leaving little boyhood behind, of becoming a man. A time of figuring out who you are and what you stand for. A time of becoming, a time of being, a time of growing. It can be rough, this journey...
I don't often know where I fit anymore. Twelve years ago, I was pretty sure I had this parenting thing all figured out, but today, as I look at you nearly eye to eye, I realize that I don't know a darn thing. I can only hope that the stubborn nature that is in me and the stubborn nature that is in you will always give way to love.
God's grace is sufficient for both of us on this journey. We'll make it, Noah, and one day we'll look back on these days of "boy turning to man" and laugh ourselves silly. Until then, always, always remember your Momma loves you more than any thing in the world.
Happy birthday, My Boy!
Love always and forever,
Momma
PS...one more year to a facebook of your very own! :)
Tonight, as I labor over your devil's food cupcakes with penuche frosting (okay, the laboring only involves the frosting...but it's worth it!), I ponder another labor...12 years ago.
I'm not really sure how it got to be that many years. I guess time just keeps marching forward, as they say. But on that night, February 15, 2000, I knew my life was about to change. I had no idea how it would change or how wonderful being a mom would be...and how hard it would be.
I thought that labor was hard. It wasn't. Not really, compared with a lifetime of parenting (I really don't have hopes of stopping my "labors" over you when you turn 18...just the nature of being a mom, I guess!).
This labor of growing a baby into a man, this path that stretches before us...I often don't know where to put my foot next. And I mess this mom thing up all the time, stumbling and making a mess of things on a near daily basis. I hope that in time, as you grow into an adult, you'll forgive me and better understand how much I have loved you through it all.
I loved you in the beginning. Your perfect little egg head with the blond tuft of hair. Your blue eyes like your Daddy. Your first words. Your first steps. You were just perfect, and I was determined to be the perfect mom!
I loved you as you grew. Watching you become a big brother, seeing how much you love babies. Seeing you learn new things every day. You weren't really perfect anymore though...and you weren't alone in that!
I love you now. Oh, I love you now more than ever, Noah Gregory! In the moments I want to tear my hair from my head...I love you. In the moments your sweet, gentle spirit shines through...I love you. In the moments that make me so proud to be your mom, and in the moments I'm pretty sure God didn't know what He was doing in giving you to me. Every moment of every day...I love you. I am nowhere near a perfect mom, but this one thing I do know...I love you.
This is such an awkward time in a boy's life, so I've read and been told. I haven't ever been a boy, so I don't really know. I think it's a time of leaving little boyhood behind, of becoming a man. A time of figuring out who you are and what you stand for. A time of becoming, a time of being, a time of growing. It can be rough, this journey...
I don't often know where I fit anymore. Twelve years ago, I was pretty sure I had this parenting thing all figured out, but today, as I look at you nearly eye to eye, I realize that I don't know a darn thing. I can only hope that the stubborn nature that is in me and the stubborn nature that is in you will always give way to love.
God's grace is sufficient for both of us on this journey. We'll make it, Noah, and one day we'll look back on these days of "boy turning to man" and laugh ourselves silly. Until then, always, always remember your Momma loves you more than any thing in the world.
Happy birthday, My Boy!
Love always and forever,
Momma
PS...one more year to a facebook of your very own! :)
Hold that lemon tart
Househunting is on hold. For maybe a year. Hopefully not more.
It stinks.
But somehow...it seems we've learned to bounce back from a whole lot of crap.
This is a minor bump in the road.
And I will be making that darned lemon tart. Someday.
It stinks.
But somehow...it seems we've learned to bounce back from a whole lot of crap.
This is a minor bump in the road.
And I will be making that darned lemon tart. Someday.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Lemon Tart
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
Well, we're going to do better than that. After all these lemons life has thrown at us, it's time to make some lemon tart.
It's going to be the very first thing I bake in our new-to-us house. I would say the first thing I make, but I may need to make some quick throw-together something when we first get there. But the first thing I BAKE will be this...
I can taste it already...
Well, we're going to do better than that. After all these lemons life has thrown at us, it's time to make some lemon tart.
It's going to be the very first thing I bake in our new-to-us house. I would say the first thing I make, but I may need to make some quick throw-together something when we first get there. But the first thing I BAKE will be this...
I can taste it already...
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
A glimpse of 4 year old Hannah...
I found this while looking waaaaay back on facebook. I should ask her these same questions again. She's almost 7 now!
Mom according to Hannah (age 4)
February 28, 2009 at 9:20 am 1. What is something mom always says to you?
Clean up this room.
2. What makes mom happy?
Buying her favorite candy
3. What makes mom sad?
when I don't clean up
4. How does your mom make you laugh?
tickling me!
5. What was your mom like as a child?
She wanted to have babies when she growed up.
6. How old is your mom?
a hundred
7. How tall is your mom?
to the ceiling
8. What is her favorite thing to do?
dishes (WHAT?!?!?)
9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
probably clean up and then take a nap
10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
reading stories
11. What is your mom really good at?
making food! (says she who never wants to eat what's for dinner...)
12. What is your mom not very good at?
cleaning (HA!)
13. What does your mom do for a job?
clean up and wash dishes and make dinner
14.What is your mom's favorite food?
macaroni and cheese
15. What makes you proud of your mom?
making macaroni and cheese with her
16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
a tractor (?????)
17. What do you and your mom do together?
wash dishes and make food
18. How are you and your mom the same?
cuz we're girls and because God made us
19. How are you and your mom different?
she has short hair and I have long hair
20. How do you know your mom loves you?
she hugs and kisses me
21. What does your mom like most about your dad?
kissing him
22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
to the store with me
Clean up this room.
2. What makes mom happy?
Buying her favorite candy
3. What makes mom sad?
when I don't clean up
4. How does your mom make you laugh?
tickling me!
5. What was your mom like as a child?
She wanted to have babies when she growed up.
6. How old is your mom?
a hundred
7. How tall is your mom?
to the ceiling
8. What is her favorite thing to do?
dishes (WHAT?!?!?)
9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
probably clean up and then take a nap
10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
reading stories
11. What is your mom really good at?
making food! (says she who never wants to eat what's for dinner...)
12. What is your mom not very good at?
cleaning (HA!)
13. What does your mom do for a job?
clean up and wash dishes and make dinner
14.What is your mom's favorite food?
macaroni and cheese
15. What makes you proud of your mom?
making macaroni and cheese with her
16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
a tractor (?????)
17. What do you and your mom do together?
wash dishes and make food
18. How are you and your mom the same?
cuz we're girls and because God made us
19. How are you and your mom different?
she has short hair and I have long hair
20. How do you know your mom loves you?
she hugs and kisses me
21. What does your mom like most about your dad?
kissing him
22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
to the store with me
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